The final $900,000 upgrade of Hastings central business district could be rushed through in time to meet the grand opening of the new two-storey Farmers shopping complex in August 2012.
Hastings District Council has ordered its staff to look into the merits of loan-funding the three-month project so it can be started about April next year, before the difficult winter weather sets in, and before the start of the next financial year.
Staff are expected to report back to the council in early December with a decision being made before the end of the year whether to go ahead with the work.
The council has to loan-fund the project because there is no money left in its 2011-12 budget and waiting until the next financial year would mean the work would not be done until after the Farmers project was finished.
The council was not keen to have construction work in progress outside the Farmers store during the new shop's opening business year.
The 200-block of Heretaunga St West, between King St and Market St, is the final of eight CBD sections to be upgraded, in a programme which began a decade ago. It includes Farmers which is on the corner of Heretaunga St West and King St South.
The 300-block of Heretaunga St West upgrade, between King St and Nelson St, was completed before the Rugby World Cup although at the council's finance and operations committee meeting recently, it was agreed that Hastings city retailers did not benefit at all from the rugby tournament.
Hastings retailers and the Hastings City Business Association were keen to see the final section of the west-end of the CBD upgraded and had asked the council for an update.
The council's parks and properties assets manager, Colin Hosford, said the two blocks were originally earmarked to be developed together but retailers had requested "a higher standard of finish which came at a price".
It included provision for outdoor cafe-style dining which meant the council had to separate the two stages because there was not enough money to finish both together.
Mr Hosford said there was no way to measure the advantage to retailers when there was "an improved shopping environment" against the woes caused by the construction work during the upgrade.
"I would argue the 300-west block, business is going well and the feedback we've had is positive, there's been no complaints."
"We don't offer compensation [for perceived loss of business during works] and likewise we don't ask retailers for a slice of their profit because they have a better shopping environment."
The council had $440,000 available but needed another $760,000.