Apartments crown busy year

Rotorua property developer Ray Cook is ready for a good break after a big year.

After completing the temporary police station on Fenton St in April Mr Cook's next major job was the renovation of one of the city's tallest buildings.

On November 10, after an extensive redevelopment, Rotorua's new Quest Serviced Apartments opened on time and without fuss.

The $6 million-plus redevelopment on Hinemoa St sees the international short-stay accommodation chain move into Rotorua's CBD, creating more jobs and activity in the city centre.

Mr Cook and his team from R&B; Consultants developed the 36 serviced apartments in little more than nine months.

He said getting the building up to 70 per cent of the new building code and strengthening it in case of earthquakes was a challenge.

"But that has given us an insight into the difficulties of earthquake strengthening a building, but all buildings are different so you have to take each one as it comes."

Mr Cook said there was still 135sq m of retail space available on the ground floor of the building.

"We hope to find a tenant for that in the new year. As Quest don't operate a bar or restaurant it would be good to get something complementary to Quest in there, but we would consider other retail operations as well."