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One of Hawke’s Bay’s highest-profile vacant commercial sites is to become the home of the region’s first “drive-thru” sushi restaurant.
A perspective of development on the Stortford Lodge roundabout site which has been vacant since a petrol station closed 14 years ago. Photo / Supplied.
St Pierre’s Sushi is the anchor tenant for the redevelopment of the Stortford Lodge roundabout corner site vacant since the closure of a Caltex petrol station 14 years ago. It was later acquired by Z Energy in a purchase of the Caltex stations, and sold for development about seven years ago.
Tenants are still being sought for two other premises to be built on the near-3000 sq m site, where the service station was demolished in August 2010.
As is the case with many older gas station sites that had underground tanks, there were hydrocarbon issues which needed to be resolved before the site could be developed for such use as is now starting with site works.
The site on which development is about to start. Photo / Paul Taylor
The new development will be just the second “drive-thru” for St Pierre’s Sushi in its expansion nationwide to over 70 outlets, which already includes one site in Hastings and two in Napier, and adds to a string of fast-food outlets in Heretaunga St West, including a Popeyes chicken outlet currently under construction, and McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Carl’s Junior, fish and chips shops other takeaways.
St Pierre’s development director Costa Katsoulis, in a Hastings District Council media release, cited Hastings as one of its strongest markets and that it had been chosen for the second drive-thru restaurant because of its “vibrant economy and enthusiastic community”. No date for opening has been announced.
Two-way vehicle access will be provided through the site from existing entrance and exit points, with five “standing” spaces for vehicles waiting to order, and five for order collection, with on-site parking for 27 vehicles, and six bicycle stands.
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.
