Otago Polytechnic has decided against moving its
Institute of Sport and Adventure to the Forsyth Barr Stadium,
saying fit-out and lease costs are higher than it can afford.
Relocating the institute from its present building in Union
St to the second floor of the stadium was investigated, but a
report to today's polytechnic council meeting said the
indicative fit-out costs of $800,000 and annual lease costs
of at least $75,000 were "higher than we can afford".
The move also posed "too much risk long term due to lack of
ownership, the necessary length of occupation to recoup the
fit-out costs and some access issues", the report said.
However, the report said the polytechnic still had concerns
about the institute's present home as the Union St building
was run down, was inefficient, and was on leasehold land.
The report also outlined various possible options for
relocating other programmes between buildings at the Forth St
campus.
The Design School may be housed in three levels of H Block,
on the corner of Union and Forth Sts, allowing the
polytechnic to relocate fashion design away from the former
Big Fresh supermarket building on Cumberland St, back to the
main campus.
It was expected all hospitality and cookery programmes could
be accommodated in the Manaaki building on Harbour Tce,
allowing all business programmes to be located in D block,
also on Harbour Tce.
Another project being assessed was building an extra 600sq m
teaching areas into the roof space of G Block, on Union St.
Preliminary estimates put the cost at $575,000, including
extending two stairwells, modification of corridors,
installation of fire walls and installation of a new lift.
It was possible the sports institute could relocate to that
space, the report said.
The polytechnic council would be asked in September to
approve plans for stage one of the redevelopment of the
School of Art site, the report said.
There are ambitious plans for a $25 million upgrade of the
site, bordered by Anzac Ave, Albany St and Reigo Sts, over
the next 12 years.
An elderly building on Anzac Ave is being demolished to make
way for stage one, a two-storey classroom block of 780sq m to
house bachelor of engineering students.
It had been planned to build a 400sq m building at a cost of
about $1 million, but the report said it was now planned to
almost double the size of the building, with construction and
fit-out expected to cost $2.1 million.
Polytechnic chief operating officer Philip Cullen yesterday
said the construction time-frame was "tight but do-able" and
it was hoped the building would be complete for the 2011
academic year.
As a fall-back position, the polytechnic was discussing with
the University of Otago leasing space temporarily in the
Albany St buildings housing the former Phoenix Centre school
for troubled teenagers.
The University purchased that site and a neighbouring
property late last year.
allison.rudd@odt.co.nz
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