38 | Southland: Russell Cunningham Properties Virginia Wright Thriving business park meets need REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Flooring Xtra Invercargill Corner Tay & Deveron Streets P: (03) 218 7014 E: invercargill@flooringxtra.co.nz www.flooringxtra.co.nz 100% NZ owned and operated CARPET VINYL TIMBER LAMINATE Invercargill based Russell Cunningham Properties was founded in 2003 when the man behind it, Russell Cunningham, sold the construction side of his business in order to concentrate on the commercial development portfolio he had started in 1997. That was also the year that Vicki Corkill started with the company. Now General Manager Vicki works across the whole business, from section sales to tenant liaison, working closely with Russell’s son Alex. A qualified quantity surveyor with local and international experience Alex joined the team in 2012 with a skill set that means the team can offer a comprehensive service to clients, taking them through the entire process of designing and constructing their new building if so desired. One of Russell Cunningham Properties most significant developments entailed purchasing land from the local A&P Association, the Invercargill City Council, and the NZ Army, as the first step to achieve what is now a thriving Business Park. Developing subdivisions was nothing new to the company, and with central Invercargill running out of room for significant developments, the land in question is right on the doorstep of the CBD. “It was a huge piece of land that was only being used once a year by the Show, and it had the potential to offer people the space to grow.” says Vicki. The 23 hectare purchase finally went through in 2006 and its development into 63 lots began. Russell Cunningham’s anticipation of the growing need for business space proved well founded, with only two of those 63 lots remaining unsold. “It’s a mixed business and commercial park, and great thought went into the road connectivity so it’s very easy to navigate around with plenty of parking availability, and it’s only a couple of minutes drive from the CBD,” says Vicki. to page 40 “It was a huge piece of land that was only being used once a year by the Show, and it had the potential to offer people the space to grow.” “There’s a bit of everything,” says Alex. “From the more industrial businesses such as truck servicing, tyre distribution and marine supplies down one end, to offices like Ray White or City Fitness and Trade Retail premises down the other.” “There are quite a few medical practices as well. We’ve got doctors, ultrasound and x-ray, audiology, dentists, and a chiropractor who is building their centre at the moment” says Vicki. As a group Cunningham Properties retained seven sites across several sections, which are now in various stages of development. “We always intended to retain some and sell others as and when the right parties came along.
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