Date finally set for new $12m hotel
A $12 million four star hotel in Lower Hutt is still on track to be built, despite further delays to its construction date.
In November 2015, it was reported the hotel in southern High St would be finished by ‘‘early’’ 2017. Subsequent delays have now pushed the date out to the end of 2017.
The site, which was purchased by the Hutt City Council for $3.5 million remains empty, with no sign of progress.
Developer Raman Sarin said he was finishing the paperwork and was confident construction would begin in January or February 2017.
The hotel is seen as a key part of the council’s plans to rejuvenate the central business district. It is hoped the combination of a hotel and an events centre, will encourage cafes and other related businesses to follow.
The council purchased the land for the hotel and gave Sarin the contract to run its $23 million events centre.
Sarin has an extensive background in building and running hotels in India, New Zealand, Australia and America.
Like the hotel, the events centre has faced a number of delays which have pushed the completion date out until the end of 2017.
Council spokeswoman Selina Simcox said any suggestion the hotel was not proceeding was completely untrue.
The delay had revolved around the foundations for the events centre.
Work began on the foundations this week and the centre was on track to be finished towards the end of next year.
Work on the hotel could begin before Christmas but there was little point in finishing the hotel before the events centre, Sarin said.
The hotel would cater for guests using the events centre and finishing them at the same time, made sense.
‘‘I don’t want to be ready six to eight months before (the council is ready).’’
His company was in talks with a preferred construction company and the building consents were currently with council.