Three businesses are opening their doors in the new development this month.
A new retail building opens in Matakana this month, expanding the hub of the town further north.
The development at 38 Matakana Valley Road is now fully tenanted, with all three businesses expected to be open for business before New Year.
Finishing Touches, currently based in the village, is opening a second store specialising in furniture, while catering company La Patisserie hopes to open a patisserie and commercial kitchen in late December. Bayleys Real Estate is also opening an office in the development.
Developer and project manager Craig Clark bought the former fish factory about 18 months ago and construction started in June.
The building has been extended by about 100m2 to make 450m2 of retail space and 20 car parks.
“We’ve basically gutted the building and built a completely new frontage,” Mr Clark says.
The building has been designed in keeping with the style of the town, with large decks, and a wooden frontage, he says.
“I think Matakana has a good future. Once the motorway is extended to Warkworth the whole area is going to take off.”
Architect Grant Neill of Pacific Environments designed the building along with Mr Clark while L’Daubeney Construction was the lead contractor.
The land was originally the site of the St Andrew’s Church, which is now at the Matakana Country Park. The church was built in 1895, but was barged to Snells Beach in 1992 to serve as the Salvation Army chapel. It was returned by barge to the Country Park in 2007.
Meanwhile, construction of the 660m2 Mortimer development next door is finishing this month and tenants will be opening their doors early next year.
A restaurant is being developed by Daniel O’Donnell, formerly of The Stables restaurant at Matakana Country Park. He will open in the building in February.
A dentist has also been confirmed and will open in April.
Mr Craig says the developments will complement each other.
“It’s going to bring more people to this end of town. If this site was still a fish factory it would make things feel a bit different. The fact we’re both able to find tenants says a lot about the growth of Matakana.”
Meanwhile, the Matakana Green eco-home development at 244 Matakana Valley Road is underway. Three homes are under construction and 28 of the 35 sections have sold.
“I expect they will all be sold by the New Year,” development sales manager David Wildish says. “By this time next year there will be over 20 houses, either built or underway, and the first residents will move in early next year. The interest has mainly come from locals and people from Auckland, with a mix of retirees and families.”
Tenders have closed for the sale of the Matakana Pub and the owners are understood to be in negotiations with a number of prospective buyers. The 112-year-old building went on the market in October.
