Museum at heart of centre revamp

Tauranga City Council building.

A museum for Tauranga has been included as a core element in planning to redevelop the council's mouldy and leaking civic centre.

The cultural and heritage attraction has emerged as a contender for a rebuilt civic centre to remedy the "lack of cohesion and poor amenity" holding back the downtown area. It followed the discovery last year of toxic black mould in the council's civic and administration buildings, leading to the emptying of one building and the partial evacuation of three others.

News the museum remained in contention for the process to decide the future shape of the block between Wharf St and Hamilton St was disclosed in a report due to be discussed at a meeting of the council tomorrow.

The report has defined the case for change. Councillors will be asked to adopt the strategic case as the basis on which to build the economic case.

The council has been tasked with finding the option that offered optimal value for money, with more work to follow on whether it was commercially viable and affordable.

The proposal to develop a modern civic centre, including a proposed museum, followed public submissions that urged the council to broaden its thinking beyond providing modern office space for staff.

Issues of weather tightness, seismic strength and the ability to provide a fit-for-purpose working environment for staff drove the review.

The scope and timing of the project identified a museum as core to the project because it was identified as happening over the next 10 years. It would be considered by an amendment to the council's 2015-25 long-term plan. However, the catalyst for the project remained the need to resolve workplace issues, with staff currently dispersed around three downtown buildings.

Other essential elements included the library, access to public transport, car parking and co-locating council staff with others from the public and private sectors.

The council has recognised that it would be the lead driver for capital investment, even though the investment may be made by another party.

Civic centre redevelopment risk analysis

* Council overstates project outcomes: high probability

* Council resources unnecessarily consumed: high consequences

* Plan is considered unaffordable: high probability

* Disgruntled ratepayers/poor community support: high consequences