Octa was engaged in September 2012 for the role of Construction Project Management and Contract Administration Services for the Berkeley Dallard Apartments and Etona Flats Housing Upgrade. This was a cornerstone project of Wellington City Council’s Housing Upgrade Programme. Octa’s role was to manage and co-ordinate the construction phase on behalf of WCC whilst maintaining focus on programme and project cash-flow to maintain a ‘no surprises’ environment throughout.
Strengthening the Berkeley Dallard Apartments was complex and multi-staged contract. The apartment building is an 11 storey tower block, with an overall floor area of 10,400m2, it represents the largest single block in the City Housing portfolio.
While the majority of the work involved the seismic strengthening of the main building, the project also included mid-life services upgrade and re-configuring the apartment layouts to better suit City Housing’s tenancy requirements, including larger family units on the lower floors and single rooms in the upper levels. The top two floors of the building were mostly removed and reconstructed.
The project is one of a number of major social housing regeneration projects which will be carried out within Wellington and elsewhere around New Zealand over the next few years. As such, the project management structure and systems will set the benchmark for future projects.
