Prominent Hamilton firm Foster Construction has been awarded the contract for the Waikato Innovation Park expansion, with the local community set to reap the benefits.
Waikato Innovation Park received resource consent in November to extend its size by more
than 30 percent.
Fosters was one of three firms that tendered for the project, which will add 2900sq m to the business hub. This building is the sixth of 16 planned for the site. Waikato Innovation Park CEO Stuart Gordon says Fosters’ reputation for quality, capability and environmentally sound construction practices was a key driver behind the final decision.
“Fosters put forward a highly competitive tender and we are confident they can deliver a quality build on time and within budget,” he said.
“The fact that Fosters are Waikato-based was also a contributing factor to our decision. Being able to connect with the Fosters management team on the ground in Hamilton will help ensure the project runs smoothly from start to finish.
“And because they’re local, we take heart in knowing the returns from this project will go back into the Waikato community.” Foster Construction CEO Leonard Gardner says the company is grateful to be selected as the main contractor to work with Waikato Innovation Park on its next phase of development to provide more office space to grow Hamilton’s technology sector.
“The project will have benefits for the Waikato community by providing a hub where business can thrive and connections will forge,” he said.
Fosters follows the more traditional construction model of employing its own construction labour workforce, and invests in apprentices.
Along with predominantly local subtrades and suppliers, Gardner said there is likely to be around 60-80 people on site at Waikato Innovation Park at any one time during the project construction.
“At Fosters, our target for any project is for eighty percent of our construction spend to be local. This helps grow, develop and strengthen the benefiting community’s local supply chain.
“Sustainability is a key focus of the tech sector, as it is with construction. Fosters is proud to be certified EnviroMark Diamond level, the highest level, showing construction practices that reduce landfill waste, minimise environmental harm and make sustainable decisions that will have a long-term positive impact.”
Construction of the expansion project started in January, and the new building is expected to be fully operational during the first quarter of 2021.
