Office building to bring over 300 workers to CBD

More than 300 people will be flowing daily across the Invercargill CBD when the 25 Esk St office building is fully operating.

The eight-level development will have its first occupants moving to the fourth floor from this week and HWR property manager Sue Hill said the goal was to have it fully operating by the end of July.

She took the Otago Daily Times for a tour around the building this week, which was designed to be integrated with the Invercargill Central development, to create vibrancy and more foot traffic within the inner city.

About 85% of the the building had already been leased, Mrs Hill said.

The planning work of the development started a couple of years ago with about 50 contractors working from early morning to night on site for just over 18 months.

"We’re at the very pointy end and nearly finished. [We just have] all those last-minute things, just tidying up little paint defects, getting all the furniture in, getting our services connected."

Westpac would be occupying the ground and first floors, Forsyth Barr half of the third level, Bonisch the fourth, and HWR group from the fifth to the seventh floors, she said.

The eighth floor of the 42.5m building would be designated to the Richardson family and HWR property — the building was split into office space as well as an apartment which will feature all the amenities and facilities with a private lift, veranda with views over the city and a barbecue area.

Mrs Hill said half of the third floor was being negotiated while the second floor was still vacant.

The building was thought to have a timeless design to endure through generations, she said.

"Everything in this building has been built, because this is a long-term hold for HWR — the fittings, fixtures, all quality and made to last with an emphasis on sustainability.

"So, wherever possible, we have tried to use sustainable products and recycled materials."

The stairs were made of recycled rubber and the fabric of the furniture and carpet of HWR offices with recycled fabrics.

Plenty of natural light and live plants including live moss in the toilets to help with the humidity, were also important features to achieving this goal, she said.

The plants in the foyer of the building had to be imported from Australia as it was the only way to meet fire standards.

Many walls in the HWR offices carry quotes and thoughts from Bill Richardson.

The doors from inside the inner city development would be open from the start of July for the public to access it, she said.

"The design was really wrestled with to ensure that we did everything we could to try to maintain that connectivity.

"So it’s just going to make it a very, very vibrant area."

luisa.girao@odt.co.nz