$17m landmark for Mount Maunganui

Lifeboats and a clock tower will form part of a $17 million office and apartment building that will dominate the new look of Mount Maunganui's Phoenix shopping centre.
Construction of the four-level, nautically-themed building will start in June on the prime Customhouse site which has sat idle for several years.
Auckland architect and developer Dr Rob Donald is building a mixture of shops on the ground floor, with offices above and then two levels of luxury apartments. Dr Donald said he was aiming to build a landmark.
"Because of the history and proximity to the port I thought I would give it a marine theme and create something that people liked and enjoyed, he said.
"I was told the area needed a town clock, so I gave the building a clock," said Dr Donald. "When you are travelling south along Maunganui Rd it will be quite prominent."
The apartment entrances at the back of the building will be designed like gangways and will feature palm trees growing two floors up.
There will be two heated spas and a swimming pool on the third level and the clock tower on the northern side of the building will climb three floors.
Another feature will be a matching timber lifeboat and ship's bell on two sides of the building, which will be finished in dark Italian porcelain tiles.
Dr Donald has met the council requirement for 70 carparks by spreading them over three levels including the basement.
All traffic access will be at the back of the building on to Totara St and there will be two walkways to Rata St and Maunganui Rd.
"It was all bit of juggle to get everything to work but I wanted to provide something different for the Mount - and hopefully the development will add life to this part of town," said Dr Donald, who hopes to complete the building by June 2006.
The Customhouse building, which borders Maunganui Rd, Rata St and Totara St, was purpose-built for the New Zealand Customs Service in the mid-1980s.
The building had an interview room with no windows and a less intimidating "soft" room. There was a medical inspection area, a big solid vault and a boat shed alongside the courtyard at the back.
Over the years the service cut its staff at the Mount from 30 to nine and the building was too big for the smaller operation. Staff moved into a new office in Nikau Crescent five years ago.
Mobil bought the 1280 sq m Customhouse site for a new service station but that plan never eventuated.
Now, Dr Donald has eyed it for his development - though he has kept the original name, Customhouse.
The ground floor of 750 sq m has been designed for six shops.
The Bayleys marketers have fielded interest for a cafe, women's clothing, surfing and convenience stores and a bank.
An insurance company and computer firm have inquired about the total office space on the first floor.
Ten of the 12 terraced apartments on the two floors above range in size from 130 to 200 sq m, including balconies, and are priced between $730,000 and $1.34 million.
There are two smaller 70 sq m apartments on the fourth floor, selling for about $520,000.