Major property development for Rotorua CBD

For Immediate Release

23 June, 2014

Major property development for Rotorua CBD

Rotorua is set for another significant property development in the CBD with local company, R&B Consultants, to construct a new, purpose-built site to be leased by the Department of Corrections at the Department’s existing location at 1232 Haupapa Street.

The existing site is owned by R&B Consultants. Corrections staff currently located there will temporarily move to two other sites (14 Geddes Road and the Spence’s building opposite the new Police station) while construction is underway.

The Spence’s building – also a R&B Consultants property – had most recently been occupied by Rotorua Police during the construction of the new Police Station.

R&B Consultants director, Ray Cook, says demolition work at the Haupapa St site is due to commence in mid-July to make way for the new two-level building. The total land area of the site is 1550m², while the two level building will have a total floor area of 1500m², including a car park for 18 onsite vehicles.

Mr Cook says the project is valued at more than $5 million and the new site is expected to take approximately 12 months to develop. The Department of Corrections will lease the building once it is complete.

He says he is pleased that the new development has been secured for the Rotorua CBD, as it could easily have been “lost” to the outlying industrial areas of Rotorua.

“This is a significant development for Rotorua and its CBD, which will help contribute to the revitalisation and growing vibrancy of the inner city area.

Mr Cook says the development itself will also provide more than 50 local jobs as R&B Consultants strive to use local contractors wherever possible.

R&B Consultants has been responsible for several major property and tourism developments in Rotorua over the past 25 years, including the re-development of the Spence’s Building and the old State Insurance Building (now home to the Quest Serviced Apartments), the 200-room Novotel Hotel in 1996 and the 165-room Ibis Hotel in 2005. In the past two years, R&B Consultants has also developed a new retail hub in Lake Rd.

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