Debbie Cartwright from TRG Imaging. Photo / George Novak
Debbie Cartwright from TRG Imaging. Photo / George Novak
A combination of new, moved and renovated businesses will see the establishment of a health hub on a central Rotorua street, breathing new life into the city.
Changes on Haupapa St, between Tutanekai and Amohia Sts, have started to take shape in the past few weeks resulting in a renovated building for Pathlab Rotorua, a new building for a physio business and an expansion of TRG Imaging.
All of the work should be completed by April next year.
Rotorua developer Ray Cook from R & B Consultants said his company had bought the former Knox Engravers site, which would soon be the new home of Pathlab Rotorua. Knox Engravers has moved to Pukuatua St
Cook's company was also building an extension to TRG Imaging into nearby businesses, including the current Pathlab site and Lakeland Clinical Trials which is moving further down Haupapa St towards Kuirau Park.
Fellow developer Tony Bradley from TPB Properties had recently bought a large older building currently used as a residential facility that sits back off the road between the Pathlab's current site and the empty Knox Engravers building which he intended to pull down and build a new building to house the Physiotherapy Clinic, currently on Eruera St.
"Between that and what Ray is doing, it means there will be another nice medical hub along there. It's nicer for the CBD and it's going to tidy things up a bit in the area."
Developments on Haupapa St are about to start. Photo / George Novak
Physiotherapy clinic owner Ant Croucher said he would rebrand the business to Go Physio when it moved in April next year.
He said they had outgrown their current site and the new building would allow for all nine therapists at the businesses to have more room, including allowing more clients to access the gym facilities.
Pathlab Rotorua manager of patient services Carol Brandson said the staff were looking forward to moving to a new and improved building.
"We have been making do here for eight or nine years."
She said the new building would be twice as big, including seven rooms for taking blood instead of five and a bigger waiting area.
She said although staff numbers weren't increasing, it would mean a much nicer experience for those people having to get blood tests.
The former Knox Engravers site will be where the new Pathlab will go. Photo / Kelly Makiha
"There will be no big long corridor to walk down," she said.
TRG Imaging manager Debbie Cartwright said the business was excited to expand.
"We are currently working on a development for a specialist centre for consulting services, orthopaedic services and a significant upgrade of high-tech radiology equipment."
She said the equipment upgrade would be a "huge benefit" for the community.
Mark Rendall from Colliers International said it had been a busy few months for his firm as it had been involved in many of the property sales on Haupapa St.
He said the former Dawson Insurance building around the corner, on 1174 Amohia St, was on the market and was a "sitter" for a buyer wanting to capitalise on all the new developments on Haupapa St because it was just around the corner.
Rendall said between Cook and Bradley's developments and renovations, that part of the city would look smart.
