Competitive spaces

By Bob Dey

Wayne Hartner's cranes have been the most prominent in Auckland over the past two years as his construction company worked on projects such as the Phoenix Gardens apartment building high above Grafton and on the Princes Wharf redevelopment.

Motorists driving into Auckland from the North Shore have become even more aware of the Hartner name over the past week, after the overbridge was slipped into place to give easier pedestrian access between the Viaduct Basin and the central business district.

The overbridge crosses Sturdee St from a new parking building which Hartner's construction company has almost finished and which he will own in a joint venture with longtime developer Terry Mikkelsen, nowadays of Phoenix Properties. It is due to open on November 1.

Pedestrians will still have to fight their way across the intersection of Fanshawe St and the road bridge from lower Hobson St, which most motorists seem to like taking at speed, but the footbridge is progress in overcoming the divide created between harbour and city.

The parking building slots into a small triangle between the tepid baths and old city markets (being redeveloped by Symphony Group), with the old Apex building at the rear also owned by the joint venture and being refurbished.

The 324 parking spaces on seven levels will be managed by Australian company Secure Parking, introducing competition to a market dominated by Wilsons.

The building is simple - steel frame and concrete slabs, designed by ADC Architects with engineering by George Buller - and one of its main features has been the speed of construction allowed by using steel.

"It's taken just over 20 weeks from whoa to go, the first three in piling and 17 to build the structure. Other steel parking buildings have gone up, but none as quickly and probably none have the same aesthetic appeal," says Hartner.

Aesthetic appeal for a carpark? The building is painted and, says Hartner, "We've put things in like planters, where the plants in time will cascade over the railings."

He is also impressed by the security of the parking company's premises, its competitive rates and the long-term view it takes towards trade. "The whole emphasis is on people getting reasonable value and having security."

Hartner and Secure are looking at more opportunities together as he sees a slowdown in some of the work that has dominated city construction recently - apartments in particular.

The Hartner Group has been busy diversifying because of that outlook. It bought Manukau City Council's works agency, Excell Corporation, a year ago in joint venture with entrepreneur Eric Watson.

If all else fails, the Hartners have their pet projects to fall back on - a charter boat business based on the 24m Risk and Reward and Gaile Hartner's new retail outlet on Newmarket Broadway, Lifestyle Interiors, containing exquisitely crafted (and expensive) Spanish furniture and furnishings.