By Esther Lauaki
The Manor Lakes Central Shopping Centre expansion is shaping up, with construction on a new gym and retail space nearly complete.
Stage two of the $60 million project started in April with initial ground leveling and drainage works at the site, structural works and roofing on the new Kmart store and Anytime Fitness gymnasium.
The centre will also house a further 23 specialty retailers including Best and Less, a major fruit and vegetable outlet and a 180 square metre multi-functional community room.
Ranfurlie Asset Management, a division of the Dennis Family Group, is behind the expansion.
Chief executive Mark Wilson said seeing the expanded centre coming to life was creating a sense of excitement among the residents at Manor Lakes.
“Everyone is looking forward to the opening of the new facilities which we still anticipate being around April next year,” Mr Wilson said.
“With construction of the external facilities advancing well, work on the main hub of the expanded centre will become a focus in the coming weeks. We expect the whole internal slab base will be completed by the end of September.”
He said the owners and developers of the centre were working hard behind the scenes on other important aspects of the project.
“We are also working closely with Manor Lakes P-12 College, across both their junior and senior schools, on a number of levels with a view to having their involvement on various projects, including students designing murals for the centre and the climbing wall in the playground,” Mr Wilson said.
