16 | New concept for big-box retail centre The expansion comes at a time of significant residential growth in the Marshland area, increasing demand for quality retail and dining options close to home. Project Management Services: Homebase Retail Centre T T Kelly Deeks REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Christchurch’s Homebase retail park is about to set a new standard for large-format retail in New Zealand, with stage 2 of its Marshland Road development delivering a new, modern design and a food and hospitality precinct designed to transform how suburban shopping centres serve their communities. In a bold move away from the traditional big-box model, the expansion will see more than a dozen new tenancies added, including plans for a supermarket and a purpose-built dining hub. The concept re-imagines the large-format retail experience, blending convenience with high-quality, locally focused hospitality offerings. “This is a completely different approach for large-format retail,” says developer Mike Percasky. “We’re creating a place where people can come, not just to shop, but to gather, relax, and enjoy great food from some of Christchurch’s best local operators.” Since its first stage opened in 2012, Homebase has been a vital retail destination for more than 100,000 residents in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs. Anchored by Bunnings Warehouse, and with major tenants including Kosco, EVO Cycles, Couplands and Anytime Fitness, the centre has provided essential services and shopping in a fast-growing residential area. Stage 2, designed by MOAA Architects, will move well beyond the transactional experience typical of large-format centres. Green spaces, contemporary architecture, and inviting communal areas are all part of the design ethos. “The focus is on creating a community hub, not a concrete jungle,” Mike says. “It’s about offering something more engaging, a precinct that reflects the way people want to live and shop today.” Homebase’s food and beverage precinct has already attracted strong interest from local hospitality brands. Coffee Culture, a Christchurch institution that began in Sumner in 1996, is confirmed as a tenant. BASE Woodfired Pizza, which started in the city’s post-earthquake container mall, and has since grown to employ more than 50 staff, will also join the line-up. Sakana Sushi and Bootleg Burgers will join the mix, too. Located at the high-profile intersection of Queen Elizabeth II Drive and Marshland Road, Homebase is perfectly placed to serve a broad catchment area from Belfast in the north to Sumner in the southeast. The expansion comes at a time of significant residential growth in the Marshland area, increasing demand for quality retail and dining options close to home. The Percasky family, who developed the Homebase Shopping Centre, brings decades of retail experience to the project. They are also behind the award-winning Riverside Market and Little High Eatery in the CBD, projects that redefined Christchurch’s hospitality scene post-earthquake. “Those central-city projects showed us how powerful it can be to create spaces where people want to linger and connect,” Mike says. “We’re bringing that same philosophy to Homebase, and applying it in a suburban context.” With tenancy sizes from 450sqm to 1500sqm, stage 2 is on track to make Homebase the largest large-format retail centre in Christchurch, and the first in the country to fully integrate a curated dining experience. “This is the future for retail centres,” Mike says. “It’s about convenience, yes, but it’s also about community, atmosphere, and experience.” Precast Enquiries: 03 384 6364 Proudly supporting Armitage Williams on the Homebase Retail project Over 30 Years’ Experience C O N S T R U C T I O N L T D LANYON LE COMPTE & • • • Domestic / Commercial • • Panels, Beams & Stairs Specialists in: • Prestressed Concrete Prdoucts • Th rmomass • Concrete Homes • Domestic / Commercial • Preca t Concrete • Panels, Beams & Stairs PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES PROUD TO SUPPORT
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