Downer's general manager of southern operations, Mark Keane, said of the total 150 staff in several buildings at Green Island, about 80 would be accommodated in the new offices, and a total of 200 staff around Otago and Southland would be managed from the office. The 10-month project was completed in April.
Downers was founded in Dunedin in 1933 and about 10% of its work is undertaken in Otago and Southland, including telecommunications, transport, water, facilities management and energy projects. Downers had recently completed the White Hills wind farm development in northern Southland.
Auckland-based chief executive Cos Bruyn said the office would bring together several southern divisions and otherwise underpin the strong business interests it maintained in the south.
New projects included stage 1 of the Mahinerangi wind farm, the four-lane Caversham roading redevelopment and a contract for the maintenance of 700km of State Highway roading around coastal Otago.
Three houses were purchased and demolished on Main South Rd to make way for the two-storey office, built by Stevenson and Williams, and which has about 1500sq m of floor space.
Downers would maintain its resource-consented asphalt plant in Parry St. Leases on adjacent properties were due to run out shortly.
