26 | T T to page 28 DEVELOPMENT Real Living and Kalmar Construction: Remuera Gardens T T Russell Fredric Stylish additions at Remuera village The Avenue Apartments at Remuera Gardens has added 61 retirement apartments over two, five-storey buildings, which are connected by a basement car park for both new and existing residents. “We were involved fairly early on, even before the contract was signed. It was a negotiated tender, so we worked with Real Living to give then advice from a buildability perspective, and to assist where we could.” Completed in February ahead of schedule, the impressive The Avenue Apartments at Remuera Gardens offers an enviable community lifestyle in a sought-after suburb. The success of the project was underpinned by the relationship and vision between Real Living, which undertook the development at its existing beautifully landscaped Remuera location, and the lead contractor, Kalmar Construction. The Avenue Apartments at Remuera Gardens has added 61 retirement apartments over two, five-storey buildings, which are connected by a basement car park for both new and existing residents. Kalmar Construction project manager Luke Kus says the 31-month-long project being completed about a month early is attributed to a skilled team, including the many subcontractors, being strongly focused on quality, and having a ‘do-it-once-do-it right’ attitude. Kalmar Construction was awarded the $58 million contract based on its existing relationship with Real Living, as well as its considerable track record with many other similar developments, Luke says. “We were involved fairly early on, even before the contract was signed. It was a negotiated tender, so we worked with Real Living to give then advice from a buildability perspective, and to assist where we could. “Most of our jobs are repeat business with clients, therefore you have created trust, which contributes to the best result.” The Avenue Apartments at Remuera Gardens was designed by BDG Architects, a Parnell-based practice with four decades of experience across multiple sectors. The commitment of all involved in the project is evident in the extremely high quality achieved throughout, with the interior finishing combined with the stylish fixtures, fittings and BDG Architects’ design creating an enviable, five-star-level living environment for the apartment’s residents. The generously sized apartments – some of the largest in Remuera at up to 163sqm – are a thoughtful mix of modern design, ambience and comfortable living, with options ranging from one to three bedrooms. The village is situated near the heart of the city, with easy access to healthcare, shopping, dining and parks, offering the perfect mix of tranquillity and convenience in a friendly, established neighbourhood. The two new buildings feature a combined basement car park and combined podium between them, with a large bowling green suspended over the car park, and connection to the existing retirement village walkways. Amenities at the existing village include an indoor pool, spa, gym, cinema, library and beautifully maintained outdoor spaces. The scope and scale of the project was considerable, Luke says. “We had 80 different individual subcontracting companies that took part in the project under Kalmar. We had 1500 unique workers and were averaging around 170 people a day on-site during the peak of the project.” Site work started July 2022 with five months of “enabling” work, including demolition of some existing structure before building above ground started. “We had to amend, upgrade and reroute both public stormwater and sanitary sewers that ran through the footprint of the apartments. We had to strengthen those services before we could do any work on-site,” Luke explains. Groundwork required two months’ work for steel-piled retaining walls on the north and west boundaries, which are up to 10 metres in height, and 100 piles for the buildings’ foundations. Let’s build something greater together. We specialise in structural and civil engineering, tackling every project with an obsession for achieving better outcomes. Our approach tears up the traditional playbook – diving deep into collaboration, pursuing ef cient design relentlessly, and engineering value. We don’t just meet expectations. We set new standards for what engineering can achieve. Email info@dhc.nz or visit www.dhc.nz Proudly Supporting Real Living & Kalmar Construction
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