Laings Road.
Location
Central Lower Hutt, Wellington.
Size
3,500m2, 32 Apartments. $9.5M
Project Type
A sensitive seismic upgrade and apartment fit-out of an original 4-storey 1959 art deco lower hutt icon, into 32 apartments.
Date
February 2023
Situated on the corner of Laings Road and High Street in Lower Hutt, Laings Road is an adaptive reuse project: a successful example of urban revitalisation in the area. Laings Road was an extensive structural upgrade project to the existing building and the conversion of four floors of office and commercial space into upgraded retail tenancies, three floors of apartments and two rooftop penthouses. The structural works included demolition of existing ground floor tenancies and pouring new insitu shear walls, chevron bracing on Levels 1 & 2 and thickening of core walls from ground to Level 4.
Fitout works to Levels 1-3 involved creating ten 1 & 2 bedroom apartments per floor, refurbishing original brass windows, installation of a new elevator and new plumbing, mechanical, fire protection and electrical services throughout. On Level 4, two existing apartments were gutted and internal layout renovated, with new double glazing and air conditioning.
The façade and canopy were also refurbished and a new roof membrane applied. Despite Covid-related impacts, the project was not only completed on time, but within project budget expectations.
