Tauranga Council on the move, again

The Westpac building going to be demolished in February.

More than 400 Tauranga City Council staff are about to pack up and move office, for the good of the city.

This is what Tauranga City Council CEO Garry Poole told SunLive in a one-on-one interview yesterday.

Council staff are moving from the soon to be demolished Westpac building, so it can be knocked down to make way for a 12 storey $50 million retail/office/residential development on the site.

Demolition is scheduled for February, 2018.

City council staff have been renting the building since the discovery of toxic mould in the old administration building in December 2014.

The next move will be a more planned exercise with professional movers enlisted to make the transition at seamless as possible, says Garry.

The council lease doesn't expire until 2019, and with rights of renewal could have stayed until 2021.

'But obviously if you think about our strategic objectives about having a strong economically healthy vibrant CBD, developments like that are actually consistent with the objectives and future of the CBD.

'We clearly believe that development is in the interests of the objectives we have set for the CBD of a vibrant healthy CBD, so for that reason, we have agreed to basically surrender our lease.

'We are just negotiating the final date for that and the staff can start moving into 306 Cameron road.”

The partners in the new development; Richard Cashmore, Neil Craig and property owners the Carr family, approached the council 'some time ago” to discuss whether there was any appetite for surrendering the lease, says Garry.

'For the reasons I gave earlier, we were up for that conversation.”

The council is also endeavouring to make the transition cost neutral.

'We don't want to make money out of this move, but we don't want to lose money,” says Garry.

'We are working with the partners in an open book fashion.”

The move will be organised by a relocation specialist, the same one that co-ordinated the Trustpower move from Te Maunga into the new Durham Street building.

'One of the reasons we are doing that is we want to make sure this transition is as smooth and as convenient as possible for our people,” says Garry.

'When you think about it, we had an emergency exit from here into Baycourt, three weeks to a month, then they kind of moved to various locations.

'We are highly conscious of the fact that our people have been making sacrifices, and in terms of convenience they are making another one for the good of the city. So we want to do our best to make sure disruption is minimised.”

The upside of the move is it will be into a far more modern building better able to support the activity-based working model the council wants to take into its new civic heart building.

Tauranga City Council's Headquarters, including the Customer Service Centre and Council Chambers remain at 91 Willow Street.

In June 2017, Council sought expressions of interest for a development partner to deliver a civic administration building and surrounding open space.

Through the EOI, respondents were also asked to consider the concurrent development of a city centre hotel and conference centre.

EOI proposals closed on June 21.

Approval will be sought to shortlist respondents at the confidential Council meeting on Thursday, July 27.

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28 comments

Parking for new building

Posted on 26-07-2017 11:43 | By scottamm

Please tell me there is going to be parking provided for Tenants, Residents and the Public.The City is dying for want of parking facilities.


here we go again

Posted on 26-07-2017 12:03 | By old trucker

So where are they going now,my gosh they spent $$$$thousands there blocking out windows etc, now how much more is it going to cost to shift,immmmm, surely they can move out at XMAS,before pulling down in Feb,.now they will have to have more wiring and upgrade at the next location to take all of them so they can have all the mod cons,staff need to be thined out at this time and get rid of all the dead wood,oh thats right we need them to keep a eye out for the other bludgers there,my they are on the pigs back at TCC,MY THOUGHTS ONLY ON THIS, Sunlive is the BEST,Thankyou, 10-4 out.


Cringe

Posted on 26-07-2017 12:07 | By overit

OMG the Council building being torn down should have been fixed up and painted.


Parking spaces.

Posted on 26-07-2017 13:04 | By scottamm

Please tell me there will be enough parking provided to accommodate not only the tenants and residents of the building but some public parking as well. The City is dying for want of parking facilities.


How

Posted on 26-07-2017 13:50 | By Capt_Kaveman

counter productive why demolish a building that has nothing wrong with it, build this 12 story else where, if i was in council i would not approve this to be demolished seems so simple its stupid


Spinning top

Posted on 26-07-2017 14:16 | By rastus

More spin than the finest spinning top!


Move out even further I reckon

Posted on 26-07-2017 15:29 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

I do hope that the TCC staff find that they don't have to be in the CBD after all to have their lattes. Stop the expensive rebuild of the TCC admin building right away! P.S. Do we get our carpark next to the old building back?


If we pass the hat....

Posted on 26-07-2017 17:36 | By Dazed and Confused

Maybe we can get them further out of Town....Maybe Gore?


Dazed and Confused...

Posted on 26-07-2017 21:19 | By groutby

....what did Gore wrong do to deserve that??..:)


Surely...

Posted on 26-07-2017 21:37 | By GreertonBoy

There is some flat ground on White Island they could set up on?What is going to become of the $50,000 bollards?


@ DC

Posted on 26-07-2017 23:19 | By MISS ADVENTURE

yes, but the question is how far can we get them all to go before they notice, Alice Springs, I would throw some coin in your hat if it was a one way ticket for teh four hundred. That would remedy the overstaffed issue proeprly for once.


@ scottamm

Posted on 26-07-2017 23:46 | By The Caveman

If my memory serves me correctly, PARKING was a major concern of the local residents in the side streets around 306 Cameron Road, when the building consent was issued. I cannot remember the original numbers, but it was something like ONE onsite carpark for every 10/15 people expected to be employed in the building. Which ever way you look at it, the onsite parking for the building is totally inadequate , AND just watch the council "restrict" street parking around the building for "council purposes" - AKA council staff parking. OH and given the size of the councils vehicle fleet - that wont fit in the onsite parking, letalone the council supplied vehicles of the "management".


An Own Goal Indeed . . .

Posted on 27-07-2017 09:38 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

Pack ya bags staff we're off to 306! BTW don't take your car, it's easier to walk, cos you'll never get a park there. TCC's own parking policy with new buildings/carparks has bitten them on the *ss. More proof to build new admin centre out of town - WAY out.


Too much focus

Posted on 27-07-2017 10:24 | By RawPrawn

on Museums etc not of Council's concern. If TVNZ's Fair Go got hold of this story Tauranga would be the next nationwide laughing stock


Developers rule

Posted on 27-07-2017 10:50 | By Border Patrol

This council bend over backwards for developers. They are developing a "cost neutral" exit from the lease, never mind the fact they could have stayed in the building until 2021, but no, they move, again. As per other comments, what is the parking allowance for this new development going to be? What with students accomodation, universities, large new commercial developments, the Tauranga centre is fast losing connection to it's community and becoming one big "office space".


Oh my god! Look at those posts.

Posted on 27-07-2017 11:22 | By Papamoaner

Who the hell would want to be a councillor or council employee in this village? Think I'd rather camp out with the mother in law! Talk about a rock and a hard place! Valid points about parking though. Might pay to investigate that more closely before jumping in with guns blazing. That could be tricky - everybody seems to be on a perpetual short fuse around here. Why don't some of you stand for council?


Council

Posted on 27-07-2017 16:03 | By Minib

As for standing for council why don't you ?as you seem to have a broad knowledge on everything..


@Minib

Posted on 28-07-2017 14:12 | By Papamoaner

Strike! - Ask not for whom the bell tolls!


Scotamm

Posted on 29-07-2017 08:58 | By waiknot

There will be heaps of parking, didn't you read a new 9 story parking building is going up.


here we go again

Posted on 29-07-2017 12:48 | By old trucker

TCC will move into their new shed when it is built, there is nothing wrong with the old bank, BUT NO have to have new digs for all the BLUDGERS, probably have another 100 on staff by then as well ,where is the mayor in all of this ,TO STOP SPENDING,i know too busy getting his photo taken with all the new arrivals into TGA,. and tcc staff wont BE ABLE TO WALK OVER TO red SQUARE and have a hour for smoko anymore,a ex worker there (says )its very TOXIC there and if you dont toe the line youre out,so its all the people that spend time under the 2Ic table polishing his hers shoes to get ahead, my thoughts only on this subject, Sunlive, Thankyou,10-4, out.


Too personal.

Posted on 29-07-2017 17:49 | By Minib

Papamoaner,Get mad,then get over it. Quote.Colin Powell.Wise words.


@Minib

Posted on 29-07-2017 19:42 | By Papamoaner

Don't we ALL have a broad knowledge on most things these days? Isn't that why we enjoy debating? Hey, it's nobody's fault that you feel threatened and inferior. Have you tried counselling? It might help.


@Minib

Posted on 30-07-2017 15:16 | By Papamoaner

I don't think Powel would like you spelling his name that way.


Think again

Posted on 31-07-2017 10:56 | By Minib

Colin Powell is the correct spelling and this saying was attributable to him, don't know Powel wouldn't have a clue.


Toxic place?

Posted on 08-08-2017 02:50 | By MISS ADVENTURE

maybe the testing of the good as Admin block was all messed up? As soon as the Admin building management moved out the toxic status moved with them. Wonder if it has been retested after the exit and before teh waterblasting happened with closed windows and leaky old rubbers. No wonder they want to demo it prematurely?


Leaving the CBD

Posted on 16-08-2017 16:01 | By MISS ADVENTURE

The best thing that can happen, wish was sooner, more faster. But of course what is this latest shift-a-thon costing? How many millions more in rates to kit out the new location this time? How many more will happen before most are sacked?


Yes they can

Posted on 17-08-2017 19:47 | By KiwiAz

Council seem to have no problems throwing money around, meanwhile council workers/contractors are forced out of the city and into poverty, while profits go north under the TCC City Partners program. When Social Services are required by those carrying out work on behalf of TCC, you know things have reached a state. Any dissenters are quickly shut down or sent packing. Bullying is occurring by so-called City Partners while council turn a blind eye. Zero social conscience, duty of care or transparency. Reality for some locals is proving a DOWNER.


@ KiwiAz

Posted on 19-08-2017 11:15 | By MISS ADVENTURE

Yes, City Partners would have to be one of the most incidious scrams ongoing, ever devised. It adds millions in profits to consultants and others coffers that most of which ends up overseas as they are overseas owned. But in end result the city is not getting value for money.


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