ORC headquarters shape up

Cladding is installed at the under-construction $54.5 million Otago Regional Council headquarters at the former central Dunedin Warehouse site, in Maclaggan St.

In a statement the council said the roughly 4600sq m building would house about 300 Dunedin-based regional council staff.

Work will begin soon on the building’s interior, with the council fit-out due to begin in the second half of next year.

The redevelopment was known as the Whare Rūnaka Project, with mana whenua providing a building name, the statement said.

Port Otago acquired the building in 2021 and last year, the council-owned company and the council announced a 40-year lease agreement; initially for 20 years then two 10-year right-of-renewals. Construction was originally due to be completed by Christmas 2024 but yesterday, Port Otago chief executive Kevin Winders said the company was now targeting completion in the second half of next year.