All eyes n future of the Albert

Work on improving the Hastings CBD has been buoyed by the recent sale of the Albert Hotel as the city waits to discover who the new owner is and what their plans are for the historic building.

Hastings deputy mayor Cynthia Bowers said she hoped the hotel could be turned into something ``compatible with the CBD''.

``I can make a personal comment on it, and that would be that we are all waiting with bated breath to find out who the purchaser is.

``I hope their plans will work in with what we are trying to do with the CBD, and it would be great it it was used for some hospitality purpose because that's what everyone is crying out for.

``We have some places that are open in the evening in the Hastings CBD but we need more, and that's what I am hoping for.''

Ms Bowers said the new owner would likely meet council staff when there was a need to apply for consents and permits.

``I think our officers will be keen to work with them to get something going, but first we need to find out who it is and what their plan is for the building.''

The Albert is on the corner of Heretaunga St and Karamu Rd, where two retailers wanted to take a lead in the future development of the shopping precinct.

Ms Bowers and the Hastings City Business Association have met the owners of Coco and Co, a craft business, which has just moved into the 200 east block.

``They have moved into a shop opposite Taste Cornucopia and have got a brilliant shop there, selling all sorts of craft. They have some really interesting ideas about how to turn that block into something for arts and craft, something quirky and different compared to what we have in the core retail block .

``The business association, through the council, will be working with them over time to get some plans for that block.''

The association and council were also working with the owners of the former Reading Cinema building in Heretaunga St, in the 100 east block.

Ms Bowers said there was still interest in the theatre and the business association was confident it would reopen, ``it's just a matter of when it will''.

``We've done some work on the security aspects [around the theatre] and what we could do to create a safe environment in the evening for when the movies are out. The owner of the theatre building is aware of the things that we can do, it's just a matter of when they have got someone to go in there.''

The council had also completed its ``mini upgrade'' of Heretaunga St 200 west block, where palm trees, new rubbish bins and an outside cafe dining area had been built.-->