Work on the new $22million Observatory Retirement Village overlooking Oamaru is ‘‘tracking well'', project manager Michael Forgie says.
The footprints of a 1000sq m apartment building, a 1700sq m, 41-bed care facility, and a 1000sq m community wing have transformed the site on Observatory Hill, which was formerly known as Hospital Hill.
Up to 30 Roger Gilchrist Building Services workers are on the site, and in about six weeks, once the roof is on the apartments, up to 40 will continue work on the first stage of the village.
The village is due to open next year. In ‘‘two or three weeks'' the community wing, which would house a hair salon, meeting room, chapel, laundry, kitchen, community lounge, and nurses rooms, would be framed, as services - electrical, plumbing, fire sprinklers and alarms, nurse call, security ‘‘the whole shebang'' - were installed in the eight single apartments and four double apartments for independent living.
Both the work programme and budget were on track, Mr Forgie said.
‘‘We're tracking really well - had a great run of weather,'' he said.
Excavating the villa building platform and groundworks for the loop road was ongoing, but the 21 villas that will share the 2ha site were not part of the initial contract, Mr Forgie said.
The timeframe for the construction of the villas had ‘‘yet to be resolved''. Mr Forgie said the site was closed to the public and should not be accessed at the weekend.
He also thanked Eden St and Stoke St residents for their patience and understanding while construction continued, as there had been some disruptions.
The development is for the new Observatory Retirement Village Trust, set up by Waitaki District Health Services.
