Havelock North's $100m retirement village will be named after a Hawke's Bay resident. But who?

The Ryman Healthcare team is looking for naming suggestions for the new $100 million Havelock North retirement village.

Ryman sales manager Bernadette Forsdyke said the company would like to hear from anyone with any suggestions.

"We'd love to name it in honour of a respected Hawke's Bay local who everyone can identify with," she said.

The new village on Te Aute Rd will offer Havelock North residents a range of retirement living options as well as resthome, hospital and specialist dementia care.

The site is a short distance from the town centre and has views across to Te Mata peak.

The site was blessed by Ngati Kahungunu kaumatua Jerry Hapuku on Wednesday, clearing the way for work on the village to begin.

Hapuku joined with the Ryman Healthcare team for a karakia, acknowledging the ancestors of the area and called on divine protection for the construction team building the new village.

As well as creating construction jobs, the village will provide more than 100 long-term sustainable jobs for Hawke's Bay locals.

Project manager Matt Smith said the construction team would number more than 300 when building was in full swing, and the aim was to get everyone home safe to their families each day.

"It means a huge amount to us to have this blessing. We couldn't think of a better way to start the project.''