Invercargill city councillors have agreed that a $15 million upgrade of the council’s civic administration building on Esk Street is urgently needed. 

The upgrade work was recommended in a report written by Invercargill City Council property manager Paul Horner and discussed at an extraordinary infrastructure and services committee meeting yesterday (Monday November 16).

Mr Horner said the administration building was 50 years old and “seriously overdue” for renewal and refurbishment.

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There was also a need to make sure the building was up to code and a safe place for the 150 staff who work there.  

The refurbishment work includes building exterior upgrading and paintwork, exterior glazing, seismic analysis, replacement of the passenger lifts, replacement of the HVAC system, upgrading of all floors to open plan layout (except for the first floor, which will remain as it is at present) and replacement fire alarm systems.

It will cost about $13.5 million to complete the project. However, $15 million was recommended to allow for contingencies.

The approved project has now been referred to the performance, policy and partnerships committee for a final determination.

This will ensure the upgrade works in with the council's other strategic projects and that there is enough funding available in the Long-Term Plan. 

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Councillors Ian Pottinger and Allan Arnold were nominated to join the project control group overseeing the project. 

The recommended method for completing the work is to carry out a floor by floor refurbishment.

As each floor is worked on, staff from that floor would be relocated to another site or work from home.

This option was the longest option, and could take two years, but would reduce disruption to the staff and the council's services to the community, Mr Horner said. 

A refurbished, safe building with open plan floor layouts would “enhance productivity, increase flexibility and reduce environmental impact,” Mr Horner said.