In 2023, after several months working alongside designers, the client and Dunedin City Council, McKay Lang began a full strip out and refit of the building.
At over 3000 square metres, this was a large-scale project that called for a full-time team on site. We put a site foreman and a project coordinator on location, supported by a construction manager.
Because the store needed to stay open for trade throughout the project, we broke the work into six distinct stages, fully completing each one before moving on to the next so the business could keep operating without interruption.
Our scope in each stage covered internal and external painting, flooring, fire rated ceilings, electrical work, plumbing and shop fixtures.
Staying flexible is a key part of how we work in a live retail environment like this. Client needs can change almost daily, and it is part of our approach to work around those changes in a practical, positive way. It is this willingness to go the extra mile that sets us apart.
The building’s recognised heritage status added another layer of complexity, shaping how we approached several design elements and placing real limits on our construction work, particularly around upgrades to services. When our application to house new HVAC units on the roof was declined, we designed an internal system and plant room instead, cutting penetrations into the roof so the units could do their job without changing the roof’s distinctive look.
We removed the building’s old steel framed windows and installed aluminium frames with insulated glazing, adding colonial style glazing bars to the face of the glass to keep the look in line with the building’s original design.
Installing a was a challenge given the age and heritage status of the building,
An archaeological survey had to be carried out before we could dig down to install a new elevator shaft, a requirement under the Pouhere Taonga Act. It was a valuable experience for our site team, and a reminder to bring a thoughtful, respectful lens to everything we do.
