Amalgamated Builders Earns Top Honours for Invercargill Central Development

• Amalgamated Builders Ltd received three major awards for the Invercargill Central Development.
• The project revitalized Invercargill’s CBD, blending heritage and modernity.
• The redevelopment created jobs and renewed vibrancy in the community.

Amalgamated Builders Ltd (ABL) is delighted with its recent success at the 2024 New Zealand Commercial Project Awards, held in Wellington last week.

ABL’s ambitious urban redevelopment project in Invercargill’s CBD has been honoured with a prestigious Gold Award, the National Category Winner award for Retail, and a Special Award from the judges.
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The Invercargill Central Development is a landmark project, marking New Zealand’s first entire-block redevelopment. This transformative project has revitalised Invercargill’s city centre, blending heritage and modernity in a way that sets a new standard for urban redevelopment.

By salvaging and incorporating artefacts and heritage facades into the construction, including the iconic Southland Times building, and reusing approximately 29,000 bricks from the demolition, the project represents a real focus on sustainability and historic preservation.

The judges commended the project for its unique and future-focused approach to revitalising the CBD retail experience. Covering an entire block, the redevelopment required the demolition of 43 buildings, with three buildings and façades retained, and the simultaneous operation of three large cranes. The complexity of the project, managed during challenging times, showcased the exceptional skills of the designers, contractors, and project managers involved.

Amalgamated Builders Southland General Manager Brad Harper believes this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire team, subcontractors, and suppliers.

“The Invercargill Central Development is the largest project in ABL’s 50-year history, and receiving three industry awards on one night is a special achievement.

“The transformation of our city centre into a vibrant community hub with a beautiful indoor shopping complex is a source of immense pride. We are grateful to the O’Donnell Family, Geoff Thomson, MBIE, and Invercargill City Holdings for their vision and support,” he said.

The redevelopment is poised to deliver significant economic benefits, including job creation and renewed vibrancy in Invercargill. ABL’s collaborative approach and effective project management have been pivotal to the project’s success, exemplifying the company’s commitment to excellence and community-focused development.

“On behalf of Amalgamated Builders Ltd, we’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in this monumental project. The recognition received at the New Zealand Commercial Project Awards is a celebration of our collective achievements and dedication to creating lasting positive impacts on our community,” Harper said.

Invercargill Central Project Director Geoff Cotton added that the impact of the development for Invercargill and Southland will be felt for many years to come, and the efforts put into getting this project started by the sponsors should be applauded.

“The immense effort of the consultants to secure consents and produce high-quality construction documents allowed ABL to construct the project and complete it.

“The delivery team identified the likely problems of the impact of Covid at an early stage and promoted solutions such as early ordering and delivery of plant and equipment, securing additional resource, working extended hours and split shifts.

These interventions ensured that even during this period of significant uncertainty, this large and complex project was completed on the contract date,” he said.

Cotton emphasised that the project is a testament to public-private partnership projects being hugely successful if managed in the correct manner.

“The Involvement of Invercargill City Council throughout the process, along with their positive approach to this project, combined with a strong private leadership team, has ensured a successful outcome in both cost and time – something that is rarely achieved in this method of project delivery,” he said.

Harper also highlighted the outstanding performance of the team involved.

“This project is our sixth national title winner, which is an outstanding achievement in this very difficult construction industry,” he said.