The new planned development at the former Cornerstone Pub site on The Strand. Photo / Supplied
Plans for a two-storey restaurant building to replace the former Cornerstone pub site on The Strand have been revealed.
The Cornerstone Bar and Eatery has moved to 107 The Strand and the former site at 55-57 The Strand has been demolished.
Tauranga City Council has granted resource consent for a two-storey commercial building on the site, another in a long list of CBD developments.
Tauranga architectural designer Kyle Goldsack said he was asked late last year to explore options to redevelop the corner site.
"We have landed with a two-level restaurant building with multiple tenancy split options," Goldsack said.
Goldsack, director of Archistudio, said the building consent would be lodged in three month's time and the project was expected to be completed by mid-2020.
Costs were still being finalised.
Cornerstone owner Taute Tocker said the family business, which had been on the corner site since 2004, had to move out by December 1 for the building to be earthquake strengthened.
The business stopped operating on the corner on October 27 and moved to 107 The Strand on November 1.
Tocker said the corner site was great for business, but there were no plans to move Cornerstone back.
"It is one of the best locations there's no doubt about that," he said.
"But at the moment we will stay here because we have spent quite a bit on renovating and architectural design. We are happy here," he said.
"You don't go backwards, you have got to go forward and you have got to go with the times."
Despite no longer being on the corner, Tocker said Cornerstone would keep its name.
"It's a talking point," he said.
More than $350 million in commercial construction was either under way or planned for the city centre alone this year.
That included the $60m University of Waikato in Durham St, $30m Latitude Apartments on Park St, $5.7m Quest apartments in Devonport Rd, $20m transport hub on Harington St and $130m Farmers redevelopment.
New Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said the future of the CBD looked bright.
"Even though some construction sites are causing issues for nearby businesses, we're hoping the short-term pain will all be worth it," he said.
Mainstreet organisation Downtown Tauranga's chairman, Brian Berry, said the developments would help to modernise and refresh a "dated and tired CBD".
Berry said the Farmers redevelopment and the university's CBD campus with its streetscape improvements to Durham St and Durham Lane were "game-changers" for the CBD.
"The injection of up to 1000 students and staff to the CBD will bring with it an energy that has been lacking and is sorely needed," he said.
Priority One projects manager Annie Hill said the city was transforming with about $370m in private and public developments either completed or under way in the CBD.
"Confidence in the city centre is accelerating, with these investments making a significant contribution to transforming Tauranga into a contemporary vibrant city with a strong commercial CBD," she said.
"It is following international trends towards a city centre that is not just retail, but more mixed-use, which is driven by office-based businesses, residential accommodation, education, entertainment, arts and culture and hospitality."
Tauranga City Council Urban Form and Transport Development Committee chair Larry Baldock said the university and Farmers redevelopment were "game-changers" for the CBD.
"Trustpower moving into Durham St signalled the return of many head offices into the CBD, bringing more professionals and office workers into the city centre," he said.
Latitude Apartments $30m
Construction of 28 luxury inner city apartments on Park St is under way, with each one already snapped up by buyers.
The six-storey Latitude Residences apartment complex was being developed by TYBI in partnership with Form Construction, Ignite Architects and Veros Property Services.
TYBI director Shannon Moyle said the structural part of the $30m development was 90 per cent complete and all 28 of the apartments had been sold.
Moyle said the apartments, which ranged in price from $579,000 to $3m, would support the growth of the inner city".
The building was expected to be complete later this year.
Transport Hub $28m
The $28m transport hub on Harington St was expected to be complete next year.
Tauranga City Council acting general manager of infrastructure Martin Parkes said the Harington St side of the building was "now at full height".
"We are starting to work across towards Hamilton St with steel framing and concrete floors. External walls will follow next," he said.
The transport hub will include 250 bike parks, 550 car parks and 53 motorbike parks, as well as electric charging points for cars and e-bikes, and shower and secure locker facilities for cyclists.
51 The Strand $4m
A $4 million office development on The Strand was now complete and fully tenanted.
The development at 49-51 The Strand includes offices on three levels and a cafe and restaurant on the bottom floor.
One of four developers Ben Ruthe said the first tenants moved in during September last year and the building was now fully tenanted.
Farmers redevelopment $130m
The $130 million Farmers development is taking shape in the city centre.
The former Farmers building on Devonport Rd was demolished in August last year to make way for a new 12-storey development featuring 8000sq m of retail, 23 townhouses, 96 high-end apartments and 322 car parks.
Brett Nicholls, spokesperson for Elizabeth Properties Limited, which is part of the James Pascoe Group that owns Farmers, said the construction was expected to begin soon and was on track to be completed by mid-2021.
Quest apartments $12m
A $12m hotel and retail development on Devonport Rd was due to be completed in August.
The three-storey development with 42 apartments at 71 Devonport Rd will include retail shops, ground-floor carparking and two floors of short-term hotel units.
Quest Apartments NZ chief executive Steve Mansfield said the development was expected to be officially opened on August 29.
Developments underway or planned include:
- $130m redevelopment of Farmers site (completion 2021/22)
- $50m Craigs Investment Partners House at 2 Devonport Rd (Completion 2020)
- $39m University of Waikato (Completed 2019)
- $30m Latitude Apartments at Cliff Rd (Completion 2019)
- $23m Tauranga City Council administration building
- $20m Harington St transport hub/car and bike park (Completion 2020)
- $20m refurbishment of Bay of Plenty Regional Council's regional house on Elizabeth St (Completion 2019)
- $7m private parking building on Cameron Rd (Completed 2018)
- $6m upgrade of Durham St (Completion 2019)
- $5.7m Quest serviced apartments on Devonport Rd (Completion 2019)
- $4.9m conversion of Old Post Office into boutique hotel and restaurant (Completed 2018)
- $2.7m Financial Independence House at 51 The Strand (Completed 2018)
Source: Priority One
CBD's million-dollar-plus developments consented since 2014
2018
1 Devonport Rd alterations ($2m)
15 townhouses at 36 Seventh Ave ($3.5m)
Mitsubishi Showroom ($1m)
2017
Upgrade of 35 Grey St ($2m)
Stage one of University of Waikato campus ($39m)
51 The Strand ($2.7m)
2016
Tauranga City Council Elizabeth St parking building ($5m)
94 Second Ave office & retail building ($3.6m)
Cnr Cameron Rd & 3rd Ave ($15.9m)
Ministry of Education, 265 Cameron Rd ($1.2m)
Waterfront development, tidal steps, pier & pontoon ($2.6m)
Private parking building, 1st Ave West ($6.5m)
Office development on Harington/Willow Cnr ($6.5m)
2015
Trustpower head office and fit out ($7.5m)
2014
Trustpower head office ($5m)
Source: Priority One
The Transport Agency says traffic moves more 'steadily' with fewer lanes.