VIC Centre - Stage one
Intersection of Connelly & High Streets and Melling Road, HUTT CITY, WELLINGTON
Mixed use Business Park
It is well known that the Wellington region has a chronic shortage of suitably zoned development land, something that is constraining local development and inhibiting regional expansion.
The opportunity of acquiring a 1.5 hectare prime CBD development site in the Wellington region was therefore too good of an opportunity for Land Equity to miss.
We acquired the ex Levene site in Lower Hutt from Westfield in 2005 and immediately turned our focus to developing a scheme for the property. Because of the sheer size of the site we were able to plan a mixed use scheme that would use the sites critical mass to support a comprehensive mixed use business park, with out relying on scale in isolation to demand, and we knew we had to get the mix of uses on the site absolutely right if the development was going to be a success.
As part of this concept development process we extensively researched emerging trends in business parks around the globe. The outcome of this research was then combined with our local knowledge to come up with a viable scheme for the site; retail, office & childcare buildings would share operational synergies to create a coherent and sustainable business environment.
The name VIC derives from the Variety Importing Company, which once traded at the site in the 1980s.
Stage 1 - Contact Energy Building
The original Levene Retail Store was converted into office space within four months to meet the urgent needs for Contact Energy's customer service centre.
The 3800 sqm office houses up to 300 employees. The refurbishment was completed in January 2005.
Further stages of the VIC Centre will leverage off this early success with more office and retail planned.