City Focus Westpac building gets new tenants

After being empty for about 18 months, Rotorua's old Westpac building in the City Focus is to be home to a hairdressing salon and a Pilates studio.

Salon St Bruno and Pilates Focus are set to move into the building, which has been renovated to allow it to be used for separate businesses instead of needing to be leased as a whole.

The building, originally built for a bank in 1937, has been empty since Westpac moved into Central Mall. It was designed by Charles Towle, who also designed Auckland's Trinity Cathedral in Parnell.

Salon St Bruno owner Hilda Dufty said the building was one she'd always admired, and when she heard of the renovations she jumped at the chance to move into it.

She said prior to the renovations, she'd thought of the building as "out of our league", but it was perfect now it had been divided up.

Mrs Dufty said she hoped to be in the building before Christmas, but it depended how work on the fit-out went.

"I've always loved the Westpac building for that boutique type salon. It suits us down to a T."

She said the new salon would be "a very boutique and classical style".

There were plans to put wrought-iron window boxes outside the salon to add to that feeling.

"We will be using the building as an asset."

She said staff were excited about the move.

While foot traffic wasn't a big part of business, she said certain streets, including the business' current Hinemoa St location, had declined in terms of people outside, which detracted from the atmosphere of the street.

Pilates Focus director Barry Bird said they expected to move into the new premises in mid-July, depending when the fit-out was completed.

Mr Bird said he'd been looking for a new location for his studio for about eight months and had always liked the Westpac building.

He said one of the major advantages of the new location would be the increased exposure.

"I'm hopeful more people will actually see there is a Pilates studio in town."

Mr Bird said the new location would primarily mean a better, fresh and clean studio but it would also see an expansion of services including treatment rooms for masseuses, his work in Chinese medicine and a nutritionist.

They were also looking at putting in a cardio-area with spin bikes.

"There will be a lot more on offer for us."

Inner City Focus Group spokesman Mike Steiner said he thought the two tenants would make wonderful use of the "beautiful, iconic building".

"I'm a 1000 per cent behind it."

Mr Steiner said while they would be leaving empty spaces in town, movement was only natural and he believed it would have a positive impact.

"If we fill Tutanekai St up you will see the rest of the town pick up dramatically."