Empty since 2017, the former Mitre 10 building on Jellicoe St is the subject of some interest, says Te Puke Economic Development Group (EDG) general manager Mark Boyle.
Part of the building, owned by a Hamilton developer, is a Caroline Eve store, but the rest remains unused.
The owner had carried out a lot of work on the building and received consent for it to be used as Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) accommodation.
“He did a lot of work on upgrading the building [with respect to] its fire rating, future-proofing it and making it fit for purpose and had a very serious look at establishing an RSE facility, but that all got interrupted by Covid,” says Boyle. “But it’s still potentially an idea that could be developed.”
He says the idea was to have a facility specifically for RSE workers who would be dropped off and picked up, with pastoral care, rather than backpackers’ accommodation.
