Polson Higgs Building Changes

The Dunedin Site

Since the end of 2008, the buildings Polson Higgs occupies in Dunedin have been undergoing quite a transformation.  Earlier last year, our landlord decided to renovate and add some additional office space.  Polson Higgs agreed to occupy the extra office space allowing us to reorganise our working areas for existing staff. Partner Steve Dunbar, who is overseeing the project, said that when the work is finished in July, the business will have an extra 260 square metres of space, which will be used for offices, a shower and toilets.  As well, a new lift is being installed, and the reception and administration areas are being renovated. “The creation of two new business, being Wealth Management and the Protocol Credit Bureau, have contributed to the growth.  This, together with growth in the more traditional accounting business, has seen the offices starting to get quite cramped,” Steve said. The project, which began in January, has been fitted in around the business’ day-to-day work.  12 staff have however moved to offices nearby.  Steve said that both staff and clients have been understanding about the noise and dust accompanying the renovations.  “The brief was to produce a modern professional look that wasn’t flashy, and I’m confident staff and clients will be happy with the fresh look.”

The Christchurch Site

Polson Higgs staff in Christchurch are preparing for a mid-year shift into new premises in Club Tower, the city's first new top tier office building in almost 20 years. Construction has almost been completed on the 12 level building, on the corner of Worcester Boulevard and Cambridge Tce, next to the site of the new Civic Chambers. Partner Michael Rondel said Club Tower - the first South Island building to achieve a five star rating under the New Zealand Green Building Council rating system - fits Polson Higgs's philosophy of sustainability and good business practice. Club Tower will be environmentally efficient in terms of energy, water use and the ability for recycling on site. The building will also include three levels of car parking (basement, ground and first), nine storeys of office space and retail/café space on the ground floor. It has provided the solution to Polson Higgs's two-year search for new headquarters within the CBD. "The major driver has always been finding more efficient accommodation for our team, so that they can work more effectively together," Mr Rondel said. Improvements would include the opportunity to have people who worked together grouped beside each other, an internal stairway for easy access between the two floors, a suite of client meeting and interview rooms, and a better cafeteria. Mr Rondel said the move was an investment in the future for Polson Higgs and would be a major factor in helping retain quality staff while offering superior service to clients. Club Tower is named after the Canterbury Club, which sold some of its land to house the premium office building - in turn gaining much-needed funding for renovations to its 133-year-old building. Polson Higgs clients will be kept informed about the timing of the move, and staff are looking forward to showing clients through their new premises.

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Last updated: 11th May, 2009 | 2:36 pm