Size will surprise customers: developer
CUSTOMERS will be ‘‘surprised at the size’’ of Kmart Dunedin once the nearly fouryear wait is over, the store’s developer says.
Work on Kmart’s new Dunedin store, in Andersons Bay Rd, is in full swing as the building draws ever closer to completion.
Otago Land Group Ltd owner and director Martin Dippie, who is developing the site, took the Otago Daily Times on a guided tour of the work site yesterday.
Mr Dippie estimated the building was about 85% completed, and there was still another couple of months of work remaining before it would be handed off to Kmart to stock shelves.
Work on the building had been progressing smoothly and Kmart had been extremely good to work for as they had ‘‘really wanted’’ the South Dunedin location.
‘‘Without question we’re proud of it and I think it is going to be a great addition to Mitre 10, the wider precinct, The Warehouse and Pak’nSave,’’ he said.
‘‘To me it’s without doubt in the right location.’’
All the foundational and earthquakestrengthening work had been completed and all the original slabs and steel of the Smiths City building had been reused, he said.
The building’s original frame had been earthquakestrengthened and a new external wall had been added.
Concrete panels that comprised the original building line had been removed to make space for the 1000sq m expansion, while retaining the original concrete columns.
The retail space had expanded to 4000sq m, which along with the inwards goods area brought the building’s total footprint to 5200sq m, he said.
An overhanging feature ceiling, found in every Kmart store, would stretch out from above the entranceway and two lifts weighing four tonnes each would shift stock between the store’s two storeys.
Since it traded at night, Mr Dippie said the store would really change the South Dunedin area and attract ‘‘an awful lot of customers’’.
Otago Land Group Ltd had built the site as its longterm landowners, having bought it in 1995 when it housed a school, he said.
The site had gone on to house a Mitre 10 store as well as Smiths City. Kmart is the next occupant ‘‘rebirthing’’ the land.
‘‘People will be surprised at the size of the space.
‘‘That will be of interest when it’s full of Kmart stock. There are going to be some very excited people in the region.’’