A landmark Tauranga waterfront development has won a national honour at the 2026 Steel Construction New Zealand Excellence in Steel Awards.

The seven-storey mixed-use building at 2 Devonport Rd won a category award at the annual ceremony in Wellington on November 6, where more than 300 structural steel industry leaders gathered to celebrate innovation and excellence across the sector.

Occupying a prominent site on Tauranga’s waterfront, the development will comprise about 7000sq m of commercial, retail and hospitality space.

From left: Steel Construction New Zealand chair Mark Fletcher, Jensen Steel Fabricators project manager Mace Harlan, Jensen Steel Fabricators director Greg Jensen and Jensen Steel Fabricators project manager Paul Price.

Mount Maunganui-based Jensen Steel Fabricators delivered the project’s structural steelwork.

Steel Construction New Zealand judges praised the project for its engineering and execution.

“A modern, classic two-way moment frame with good attention to detail, executed well despite difficult access and a changing design,” the judges’ citation said.

Structural steel forms the backbone of the building, allowing for large open floorplates and extensive glazing designed to maximise views across Tauranga Harbour and Mauao.

The award was presented as part of Steel Construction New Zealand’s annual Excellence in Steel Awards, which showcase achievements across the country’s steel construction industry.

Steel Construction New Zealand chief executive Darren O’Riley said the awards recognised projects demonstrating innovation, collaboration and best practice.

Mount Maunganui’s Jensen Steel Fabricators is celebrating after helping deliver an award-winning Tauranga waterfront development recognised for excellence in structural steel construction.

Jensen Steel Fabricators, established in Mount Maunganui in 1987, manages structural steel projects across New Zealand and has built a reputation for delivering complex commercial and industrial developments.

The award adds to growing recognition of the transformation in Tauranga’s city centre, where several major commercial projects have reshaped the downtown waterfront precinct in recent years.