Today Tauranga City Council has signed a partnering agreement with leading development company Willis Bond & Co, to work together to create new civic spaces and facilities in the city centre.
Willis Bond & Co will work with Council to deliver a new central library, a civic administration building, surrounding open space and a hotel and conference centre in the city centre.
The partnering agreement concludes an extensive selection process that began over 12 months ago to attract local and national property development companies to partner with council. The agreement establishes Willis Bond & Co as the appropriately-qualified, preferred developer to work alongside council to activate and enhance the civic centre and deliver the best possible value.
City Transformation Chair, Cr. Larry Baldock said that the agreement begins a relationship that will create new exciting developments for our city centre.
“Partnering with Willis Bond & Co provides a unique opportunity and many benefits to the council’s development quality, consistency and effectiveness,” he said.
Willis Bond & Co is a New Zealand company specialising in property development and investment. It’s projects are predominantly large scale, medium to high-end developments based in urban environments. It has a strong focus on waterfront and inner city mixed-use development that combine living, retail, office and parking.
Current and recent projects include Wynyard Central, Catalina Bay and Sunderland at Hobsonville Point in Auckland, and Whitireia WelTec Campus, Chews Lane Precinct and Clyde Quay Wharf in Wellington.
Negotiations with Willis Bond & Co will commence shortly to facilitate a long awaited international-brand hotel for the city centre, and to deliver new facilities on the Willow Street civic campus site.
“Willis Bond & Co is one of New Zealand’s leading development companies, they have an outstanding record and this is an opportunity that doesn’t come along every day,” said Cr. Baldock
“We look forward to working together to create a vibrant, safe and successful city centre,” he said.