City centre focus may switch to key connections

It’s been suggested the Invercargill City Council turn its city centre focus to better connecting the new Distinction Hotel development and Wachner Place with the rest of the CBD.

Stage one of the Invercargill City Council streetscapes project takes in Esk and Don streets.

Work was initially expected to be completed before Christmas, but Esk St would now likely be finished in March and Don St in February.

The plan for stage two was to carry out work on Kelvin and Esk streets towards the council’s civic administration building.

However, the City Centre Governance Group chairman John Green told councillors yesterday the group felt there should be a refocus.

He said there was a feeling that stage two should take in the planned Distinction Hotel development and Wachner Place and connect it with the city centre.

Hotelier Geoff Thomson has bought the Menzies Building in lower Esk St and is transforming it into a 4.5 star Distinction Hotel.

He told the council this year he had hoped for a September 2023 opening but acknowledged that time frame could be tight.

Green said it would be important to better connect the hotel to the rest of the CBD.

He said addressing Wachner Place was a long-standing issue for the city.

‘‘Imagine if you will, a visitor coming out of the Distinction Hotel onto the footpath and saying, ‘where am I going to go for breakfast? Where am I going to go shopping today?’ How connected to the city are they? Opposed to just connected to cars and buses,’’ Green said.

Councillors praised the stage one work in Esk and Don streets.

Most also spoke in favour of stage two.

However, there were concerns about costs. Stage two was set down for $14 million.

Mayor Nobby Clark was wary about a potential large rates hike and wanted to prevent that.