Deconstruction works are underway on the abandoned Harington Street Transport Hub, with plans to turn the site into a mixed-use car park and commercial building.

The project was abandoned in June 2020 amid seismic strength concerns.

In March 2021, Tauranga City Council announced it had sold the site for $1.

Council reached an unconditional agreement to sell the site to Waibop (Harrington) Limited - a subsidiary of the original lead project contractor, Watts and Hughes Construction Group Holdings Limited.

The agreement covers the sale of the site, which was due to become a 550-capacity carpark building.

Unused materials and structural steel purchased for use in the building, plus a negotiated settlement for the cancellation of the construction contract, results in a final payment to Council of $200,000.

Construction began on the seven-storey transport hub in June 2018. By May of 2019, however, council was informed of construction issues and in July of the same year advised there was a potential issue relating to seismic design strength.

The building has sat abandoned since work on the site was suspended in September 2019. An engineering design review confirmed the structure design did not meet the required standard of seismic resistance.

The construction project was discontinued in June 2020. Read more here.

In a statement released to SunLive this morning, the owners of 35 Hamilton Street, the site in which the former transport hub currently sits, have confirmed they are pleased with the progress of the redevelopment.

An artist impression of the new car parking and commercial building. Supplied image.

'The cost of remedying those deficiencies within the existing carpark design was prohibitive, but Waibop's engineering expertise and willingness to develop new structural plans and go through the complex consenting process required to potentially add seven floors to the original structure has transformed the economic viability of construction on the site,” says development manager Laurie Flynn.

'Watts and Hughes has now re-established activities on the site. Initial work is focussed on ‘deconstruction' (remediation) of the existing structure and the site has been made safe and secure.

'Structural plans for the revised building concept have been completed, peer-reviewed and are now going through the building consent process. We are hopeful that the consenting phase of the project will be completed in the relatively near future, so that we can get on with the job of building what will be a substantial asset for Tauranga's central business district.”

Plans for the building will retain a minimum of 200 public car parking spaces in the city centre, with further spaces available for tenants.

Flynn says Waibop is excited about the prospect of exploring development options for the site, in addition to the committed car parking building.

'We expect the enlarged structure will generate significant commercial opportunities and as we carry-out due diligence on those options, we are readying the site in preparation for the works commencing.”