The abandoned Seascape tower on Customs St, Auckland. Icon will finish it. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
The abandoned Seascape tower on Customs St, Auckland. Icon will finish it. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Icon will replace China Construction on New Zealand’s tallest apartment tower, the $300 million-plus Seascape in Auckland, where work stopped nearly nine months ago.
A spokesman for developer Shundi Customs said a notice had been issued to all stakeholders saying that the contract with China Constructionhad ended.
Australian builder Icon would take over the abandoned project to complete work, he said.
“Shundi Customs Limited and China Construction New Zealand are writing to advise you of the resolution of the disputes in relation to the Seascape project,” the notice said.
Icon will now take over Seascape. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
A settlement had been reached where the construction contract ended. China Construction would hand over the site and project to Shundi, due to occur on April 24.
“Once that handover occurs, Shundi will take responsibility for the site and for completing the project and China Construction will have no further role and no responsibility for the site or the project,” the statement said.
“The direction of settlement had been agreed by both senior management teams since last year. While we have been finalising the details, Shundi has been actively working to prepare for the recommencement of the project.
“We have engaged with key consultants and construction professionals and currently working closely with a new main contractor, Icon, under an initial services arrangement to support a smooth transition and recommencement of works. Both parties are actively progressing discussions regarding a broader construction engagement.
“Following the formal site handover, expected within the next week or so, we anticipated that initial site works will recommence before end of the month,” the Shundi Customs statement said.
Dan Bosher heads Icon in New Zealand. That business built the new 41-level tower which is the Hotel Indigo Auckland with apartments above. Photo / Jason Oxenham
The sudden announcement follows a Building Disputes Tribunal ruling last year that Shundi Customs “is liable to pay China Construction New Zealand a total of $36,191,804.47. Despite the tribunal’s decision, the payment has not yet been settled and legal proceedings remain ongoing”, according to China Construction accounts.
Icon built the nearby Pacifica apartment tower as well as the new Hotel Indigo Auckland.
The building business was headed by Dan Ashby but is now headed by Dan Bosher.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
