Newspaper Article – 120 workers on K-Mart project soon

120 workers on K-Mart project soon

Between 100 and 120 workers are expected to be on the K-Mart site soon after construction work begins there late next week.

Demolition of buildings with heavy machinery began yesterday afternoon, with the old Agnew building on the comer of Karamu Rd and Avenue Rd a pile of rubble this morning except for the Avenue Rd street frontage wall.

The brick wall went down late this morning.

That building was once the offices of the Daily Mail newspaper.

During the weekend and yesterday demolition workers removed salvageable items from the buildings on the block enclosed by Karamu Rd, Avenue Rd, St Aubyn St and Russell St which are all to come down.

East Coast Contractors Ltd moved heavy machinery on to the block yesterday afternoon to demolish the old buildings and clear the site.

Other buildings to come down are the former Briscoe’s shop which was previously Slater’s vegetable auction rooms, the three-storey Value Market building which had earlier been built as a freezer building, the Dalgety building and two former printing shop premises.

Site offices are to be set up in the former Hawke’s Bay Motor Company building, on the other side of Avenue Rd on the Russell St corner. It will be demolished last.

That site is to become part of the 400 car-parking spaces, along with sections of Avenue Rd and Russell St which are to be closed.

Auckland building contractor Woodland Construction, which has been awarded the contract, has a reputation for “getting things done”, chief executive Neville Mahon said today.

“We definitely prefer to run with local people,” he said, responding to many approaches the company has had from Hawke’s Bay contractors work on the job.

However, contractors needed to be able to to satisfy Woodland’ requirements on manning levels.

“Our programme is so tight. November 15 is the opening date for the K-Mart.

“We can’t afford to run with somebody we don’t think can perform,” Mr Mahon said.

He expects two or three Hawke’s Bay firms to link for the main construction project. _

Woodland would also be calling tenders from outside construction firms to ensure that the prices from Hawke’s Bay firms were competitive.

Work will begin first on the 6300 square metres K-Mart building, followed by the 2000 square metres 3 Guys supermarket and the 1200 square metres of specialty shops.

The K-Mart is to be built nearest the Karamu Rd frontage, with the supermarket about halfway along the block in St Aubyn St.

Woodland site manager Rob Neil arrived in Hastings yesterday afternoon to set up his offices in the former Hawke’s Bay Motor Company building. He will be contract manager for the project.

One of the victims of the pace of the demolition is the Birthright organisation, which occupied part of the old Dalgety’s building.

The group has to find new accommodation for its field officer after this weekend, when it must vacate its Russell St office.

By Terry Tacon
Staff Reporter, Hastings

Hastings will be the site of Hawke’s Bay’s first K-Mart.

Coles-Myer (Properties) NZ Ltd confirmed today that a bid by Auckland property developer John Boscawen to develop a Hastings site owned by the company was successful.

A Napier syndicate also pitched for the K-Mart development with a plan using the old Napier railway station and marshalling yards land in the middle of Napier.

The choice of Hastings ends three years of involvement for Mr Boscawen. In that time he altered his plans several times as possible backers came and went.

Mr Boscawen’s latest proposal was in place in late January and an announcement was expected then. The involvement of Coles-Myer’s executives with the public float of parent company Progressive Enterprises in New Zealand delayed the process.

The Hastings site is bordered by St Aubyn St, Russell St, Avenue Rd and Karamu Rd. It contains buildings formerly occupied by Dalgety, Briscoes, Agnew Refrigeration, Cliff Press and the Public Service Investment Society.

Mr Boscawen’s plan, submitted to the Hastings District Council last week to support demolition and building applications made by Auckland company Downer Construction shows the K-Mart will occupy the eastern end of the land. A Three Guys supermarket, up to 10 specialty stores and car-parking take up the rest of the site.

Downer Construction, however, will not be the builders, with Woodland Construction Lid, Auckland, builders of the Benneydale freezing works, being awarded the job.

The K-Mart will occupy 6300 square metres, the supermarket 2000 square metres and the specialty stores 1200 square metres. There will be parking for 400 cars with access from Avenue Rd.

Photo captions –

Contractors work on the remains of the old Agnew’s building on the corner of Karamu and Avenue Rds yesterday in preparation for the new K-Mart.

A map showing the K-Mart development