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Major repair work on the Nautilus apartments, which those involved had hoped would begin this month, has been delayed.
Prendos NZ is project managing the work and director Natasha Cockerell says a firm start date has not been set.
She says that the company is currently testing the proposed replacement cladding system in a test booth to make sure it stands up to the wind pressure of the site.
Meanwhile, she says discussions with Hibiscus & Bays Local Board staff and Auckland Transport are continuing with a view to obtaining access to a ground level site – something Prendos hopes will be resolved “in the next month or two”.
A ground level site is needed, as there is no access from the lower car parks of the building to the podium, other than to go through two residential lifts and corridors. The building materials that need to be delivered to the areas of work include large window units, prefabricated exterior cladding, tiles, structural steel and screed.
Last year Prendos applied for exclusive use of the library car park at the base of the 12-storey Nautilus to store materials, locate portaloos and enable workers to hoist building materials to the podium using a hoist.
This was declined by the Local Board and last month chair Julia Parfitt reiterated that exclusive use of the library carpark would not be an option.
Prendos’ alternative is to seek that all or part of Keith Morris Lane be closed off. This is more costly and will have an impact on many businesses. It also requires traffic management plans and with Auckland Transport now in the mix, it would appear that option is being given due consideration.
A report prepared for the local board by Council’s property coordinator Paul Durling states that the northern end of Keith Morris Lane could potentially be utilised as a secure area to store and hoist building materials. Approximately 23 car parks along the lane would be required for this purpose.
