HAMILTON | Projects

[badbehaviour]

Thanks for the update Tron! Very interesting news about Mighty River Power - hopefully they construct something architectural, and in fitting with the river-side location.

Editorial - Young guns' city vision
Last updated 12:46 26/03

You can almost feel the air humming around Hamilton these days - and it's not just from the earthmovers and road graders and rerouted traffic, as we pick our way around daily-changing detours and increasing congestion.

Hamilton is growing up fast.

While we curse and gripe as "peak" traffic times stretch, those returning to the Waikato from a few years away marvel at the changes and celebrate the city's new pizzazz, while new developments and big projects seem to be unveiled weekly.

In Saturday's Waikato Times was news of a bold project by the Mystery Events Centre and today we learn of a major plan for Hamilton International Airport, both sure to lift our profile nationally and offshore.

But along with the new energy comes the need to lose the slightly apologetic air we carry around for loving living in Hamilton, the slightly defensive tone we adopt when justifying why we do live here ("it's close to everywhere else") and the inclination to hang on to wounds like the V8 race debacle and old resentments and make a meal of it.
As the new Mystery Creek chief executive, Jon Calder, a returned and passionate Waikato son, says, "it's time to move on, to find new events that we can be very proud of".

Calder is one of an emerging breed of business people and entrepreneurs in Hamilton keen to spotlight Hamilton's advantages, to reconnect with the city, to move forward rather than look back, to nurture city pride.

More importantly, these people are talking to each other. Brainstorming, looking for opportunities to help always positive, always aspiring.

Not for personal gain though that will come if they do a good job but to celebrate the potential offered by living and working in Hamilton.

Tainui Group Holdings' Mike Pohio, the Property Council's Graham Dwyer, and Hamilton Airport's Chris Doak are others with an infectious positivity and a vision for Hamilton's future, while getting on with their day jobs.
And there are many others energising the city but flying below the radar.
A new breed of leaders is among us.

Link

[TheTron]

Hamilton Airport horse freight to take off




Hamilton International Airport is planning a blue-chip horse freighting hub to handle the thousands of thoroughbreds flown in and out of Auckland International Airport each year for racing and breeding.

The plan has been applauded by prominent thoroughbred players in the Waikato, the industry's capital, who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on horse air travel, mainly to and from Australia.

Yesterday, Cambridge trainer Roger James was preparing New Zealand Derby winner Silent Achiever for a trip to Sydney tomorrow where the smart filly will take on Australia's top three-year-olds in Saturday's A$500,000 Rosehill Guineas.

"That trip is made, at best, in 8 1/2 hours," James said. "So to cut three hours off that time by flying out of Hamilton will be huge for us and it helps to keep our horses in peak condition."

Airport chairman John Birch said the latest available figures show that almost 3000 horses are flown out of Auckland a year, and 50 per cent of them start their journey from Waikato stables and 25 per cent are from south of the Waikato region.

"So effectively, we have 75 per cent of equine freight going past our gate," Mr Birch said. At least the same number are flown back into Auckland a year.

Mr Birch said the top-class hub would be purpose-built and would require a partnership between the airport company and the likes of New Zealand Bloodstock, which is owned by Waikato's Vela brothers, who are involved in the Auckland freight service.

[TheTron]

New Hamilton Office Building Overlooking The Waikato River

Mighty River Power have been confirmed for the Project Grantham office complex. They are to take the top two floors.

Here are some design drawings for the new building overlooking the river. Personally I think it looks really nice.







More details can be found here: LINK

[SYDNEY]

Thanks for all the info Tron, it is good to see so much enthusiasm in the Regional centres

[Marky Mark]

Yeap the Regionals are dancing Thanks Tron

[TheTron]

Port Otago investigating building a freight hub in Hamilton?



LINK

Port Otago chairman David Faulkner was quoted by the ODT as saying:

"a joint-venture commercial development on the outskirts of Hamilton would have a "huge influence" on revenue"

[badbehaviour]

Back in Hamilton on holiday! Have brought an aussie friend over on his first trip to NZ. He has commented on how cosmo Hamilton feels. The place feels a lot busier than I remember it.

The only down side: Roundabouts.

[TheTron]

Hamilton's Bridge St supermarket has closed and demolition is well underway for its metamorphosis into a new generation Countdown supermarket.



The 42-year-old supermarket will be closed for a year while it undergoes a $20 million facelift.

[TheTron]

Technically Cambridge is in the Hamilton Urban Zone, so I have added this update...

The $28.5 million facility will begin construction in the coming months

The Avantidrome will feature a world-class 250 metre UCI Category 1 track, over 2000sqm of space for sports performance specialist tenants, a café and will be linked to world-class facilities for mountain biking, BMX, road and trail cycling

The Avantidrome will be completed and open in late 2013

[TheTron]

I have heard a rumor that the Waikato Times is shifting its staff and offices back into the CBD. If true, this will be another positive step for the CBD

[TheTron]

New CityFitness gym opening next month

[TheTron]

Roading Project Update

Te Rapa section of Expressway due to open before the end of the year

[TheTron]

The Wairere Dr roadworks are part of the $105 million Hamilton ring-road project which, when finished, is expected to provide a crucial link between the city's south and north sides and ease peak-hour congestion.

[TheTron]

One of Hamilton's largest businesses, New Zealand Home Loans, is to break the $1 billion barrier in loans for one year for the first time, and has a plan to double that over the next five years.


Hamilton entrepreneur Neil Richardson, who established the home loan company in 2006, said business had gradually grown and would eclipse $1b at the end of this financial year in June.



"We have just passed last year, at $700 million, and we have three months to go," said Dr Richardson, an adjunct professor at Waikato University's Waikato Management School.



"We will end up with $1 billion by the end of the year ... We have a national bank which is headed out of Victoria St, Hamilton, and we are committed to stay here for another six years."



New Zealand Home Loans has 57 branches throughout New Zealand, employing about 150 people serving around 20,000 customers.



Waikato Times

[TheTron]

An $11 million product development spray dryer facility is nearing project completion (scheduled for mid-May).

[TheTron]

[nthbeach]

Somebody has been a busy little anzac. Nice work

[badbehaviour]

Thanks for the updates Tron. I bet Wairere Drive is a massive pain in the @SS for commuters at the moment...

[TheTron]

Originally Posted by badbehaviour

Thanks for the updates Tron. I bet Wairere Drive is a massive pain in the @SS for commuters at the moment...

You are not half wrong there!

Still it is amazing watching all these roading projects, it feels like we are getting a full motorway network around the city. Will be great for the city's future growth.

[whooodaman]

Originally Posted by TheTron

That is one massive hospital.