Big changes for mall

The owners of Rotorua Central have announced another multi-million dollar investment into its mall at the southern end of the central city.

Rotorua's Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings announced it would spend a further $13 million on its Rotorua Central site, with another announcement due in coming months concerning another development.

The new development would see the complete enclosure of the mall up to Amohau St, the re-build of the Warehouse Stationery building - that was destroyed by fire on December 15 last year - and a new ANZ Bank building with surrounding tenants.

Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings is a subsidiary of the Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust, which is owned and operated by Te Arawa hapu Ngati Whakaue.

The trust is also developing Trade Central - a multi-million dollar development on Amohau St next to Rotorua Boys' High School, which includes a new Mitre 10 Mega store. And, in early June, the trust announced plans for a world-class recreation, lifestyle, visitor and retail destination at the eastern end of the Rotorua Lakefront which would include the re-development of QE Hospital.

Pukeroa Oruawhata Holdings chairman Malcolm Short said the company had been planning a number of new developments at the Rotorua Central site for some time.

He said the Warehouse Stationery store would be rebuilt and open for business by December this year, while a new building for the ANZ bank and surrounding tenants was now under construction and would open by April next year.

Mr Short said The Warehouse building was also undergoing a complete refurbishment and the northern end of the mall looking out over Amohau St would be fully enclosed.

"We continue to receive very substantial interest for space and we are actively pursuing development opportunities where they prove to be financially viable," Mr Short said.

He said the remodelled food court, that was completed in time for last year's Rugby World Cup, had proven to be very successful and well supported by the residents of Rotorua, as well as visitors to the region.

"All the food court retailers are delighted with business and as a result, we have made a decision to develop the mall further and to completely enclose the balance of the mall out to Amohau St.

"This will mean that our customers will have a totally covered environment and will be weather protected all year round ... and offers retailers the opportunity to trade in modern and up to date premises."

The company has employed the Retail Consulting Group (RCG Ltd) as development managers and architects which would be lodging building consents in September, with construction work to begin early next year.

Mr Short said the total value of the work would exceed $13 million, saying the new developments demonstrated the success of the centre's retail environment and Pukeroa was delighted to be able to continually improve its facilities for the betterment of retailers and their customers.

He expected a further announcement to be made in a few months regarding another development on the site and acknowledged the support of the Rotorua District Council in enabling their projects to be brought to fruition.