Auckland's $1b Commercial Bay shopping precinct opened by PM

Thursday, 11 June 2020

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern opened the billion dollar project

The $1 billion Commercial Bay development in Auckland's city centre opened on Thursday to a crowd of dozens of excited spectators.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff were at the opening ceremony.

Goff said the mall opening as the country moved into level 1 was significant in kick-starting the city's central business district.

'It will be quiet for a while because we've still got our borders closed and don't have tourists and international students in town but increasingly we will see people from Auckland coming back in to the city,' Goff said.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Taiaha Hawke from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei officially opening 'Commercial Bay' in Auckland on Thursday morning.

* Commercial Bay announces new opening date after coronavirus delay

* Coronavirus: The $700m Commerical Bay opening delayed again, this time by lockdown**

The development includes a 39,000 square metre office tower and 18,000sqm of retail space with more than 120 shops.

Precinct chief executive Scott Pritchard says the mall has opened in extraordinary circumstances, after facing delays due to Covid-19.

Precinct Properties chief executive Scott Pritchard said the opening of the mall marked a “significant milestone' for the business, which was opening under 'extraordinary circumstances,” after facing eight months of delays.

Pritchard said the retail centre was opening fully leased.

Last week he said the delays had been frustrating, but he was pleased to be opening now to kick-start the economy after the lockdown.

A child plays with a little yellow truck before the opening of the precinct.

The retail precinct was due to open last September but that was pushed back to March due to delays by contractor Fletcher Construction.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with Precinct Properties Scott Pritchard, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff and Infrastructure Minister Phil Twyford at the opening of Commercial Bay.

The delay cost Fletcher Construction $52 million in liquidated damages.

Then in March, its opening was pushed again due to the Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown.

Fletcher Construction chief executive Peter Reidy said the “hugely complex' development would “transform' the city.

“As many as 2000 people, including subcontractors, were working on the Commercial Bay project at its peak. It has been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our people to be involved in such a challenging and transformational project which will leave a huge legacy in this city,' Reidy said.

“Commercial Bay links four existing buildings to the new 39-storey PwC office tower, New Zealand’s largest steel tower. The tower’s foundations were dug concurrently with the beginning of the tunnels for the City Rail Link, and the project scope also included the demolition of the old Downtown Shopping Centre.'

Architects reclaimed materials from the original Commercial Bay site including bricks and marine piles in their design for Little Queen St, Pritchard said.

The development includes more than 120 retailers, including international fashion labels Cos, Aje, Furla and Calvin Klein along with Kiwi designers including Storm, Twenty-seven Names and Yu Mei.

The mall will also have about 30 food outlets including Burger Burger, Bird on a Wire and Hawker & Roll.