Building Centre to shift

Press, 18 October 1986, Page 9

Building Centre to shift

The Building Centre, which has leased premises in Cashel Street for the last 20 years, will build in Riccarton. The centre’s manager, Mr Bill Harrison, said yesterday that a new building would be erected in Mandeville Street, Riccarton.

It would have 1858 sq m (20,000 sq ft) of display space on the ground floor, and a small area of first floor, for offices. Forty car-parks woul<J ;1 be provided. »<

Mr Harrison said the new building would overcome many of the difficulties encountered in the present building including parking, accessibility, and stairs.

“The large ground floor of the new building will give good access to everyone — there is no need for stairs or lifts.’”

The Building Centre was set up by the Canterbury Master Builders’ Association to provide information and promote building products )£nd ser-

vices. “Our real aim is to make building an interesting and enjoyable experience for people and to remove a lot of the problem areas,” said Mr Harrison. “The centre also gives an opportunity for manufacturers to exhibit their building products and services in an impartial environment.” The new building was likely to cost more than $1 million, he said, and should be complete by

April, when the centre’s lease expired on its Cashel Street premises. The new Building Centre would have a new board of directors, said Mr Harrison. They would be people from various building disciplines. “The Building Centre has been one of the most successful centres in New Zealand in that none of the others have survived longer or achieved a better reputation for serryice,” he said.