24 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Invercargill Central Karen Phelps Second stage nearing completion The first stage opened mid July with anchor tenant Farmers Trading Company opening a 6,000sqm store and retailers such as Glassons, Amazon, Merchant, Pagani, 2degrees, Michael Hill, Pascoes, EB Games, Mister Minit, Mobile King and The Coffee Club opening their doors. RES I DENT I AL & COMMERC I AL PH 03 215 9208 CELL 0274 346 012 | 0274 346 009 A/Hrs 03 2130 811 or 03 213 1575 18 Arena Avenue | Invercargill • Drainlayers • Plumbing • Roofing • Registered • Bathroom & Kitchen • Renovations Industrial • Commercial • Residential “Quality Solutions delivered on Time” INVERCARGILL QUEENSTOWN DUNEDIN CHRISTCHURCH info@mcamasonry.co.nz info@milanotiling.co.nz 0212310893 - 0279346616 033329130 The second stage of Invercargill Central is nearing completion and due to open to the public in November 22. The first stage opened mid July with anchor tenant Farmers Trading Company opening a 6,000sqm store and retailers such as Glassons, Amazon, Merchant, Pagani, 2degrees, Michael Hill, Pascoes, EB Games, Mister Minit, Mobile King and The Coffee Club opening their doors. “It’s easily the biggest development in the city and reception has been very positive. It’s a great place to shop and people are enjoying the central location,” says Scott O’Donnell, chairman of the board of Invercargill Central Limited. “People are so happy to see progress.” The first two floors of the four level car park, which will eventually offer 675 spaces, also opened, giving locals greater parking options in the city centre. Stage two will see the remainder of ground floor retailers open and by March 2023 the first floor restaurant collection and further fast food outlets on the ground floor will also be opening marking the completion of Invercargill Central. Stage two is in final stages of construction before the shop fitting teams come in. Retailers opening in stage two include Hallensteins, Starbucks, a combined Max and Barkers store, Lovisa and Cosmetic Clinic. Also opening will be ‘Esk Street Eats’, which Scott describes as Invercargill’s answer to Little High Street in Christchurch. Outlets will includes Sal’s Authentic New York Pizza, Sushi and Noodles, ReBurger and Banh Mi Vietnamese street food. The development will also see the cinema on the west fringe given the ability to open its doors back into the centre essentially relinking the cinema with Invercargill Central. Scott says the flow-on effects are already apparent in the wider CBD. He says that although people always want to come and take a look at something new, feedback from retailers is that people are spending when they come in the door. “We’ve got people back in the CBD. Obviously it’s been a boom for the retailers in the development block but also those on the north side of Esk Street. It gives the entire central city another covered car park to use and foot traffic in the CBD has improved significantly. This project is designed to give Invercargill its heart back and it’s done just that. The locals are seeing their city rebirthed.”
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