Countrywide Group is delighted to welcome our construction partner and long-time friends, Clearwater Construction, into a freshly-refitted space in 123 Victoria St, positioned at the end of a stylish laneway featuring popular hospo venues and stunning public art sculptures. We interviewed Martin Baker, Commercial Manager for Clearwater Construction in Christchurch, on why they chose the space and how it’s working for them.
Tell us about the space you occupy?
We’ve taken a 100 square metre ground floor space in 123 Victoria Street, facing out onto a fantastic little laneway. Our space may be compact, but it’s perfect for the very small team of office-based staff we employ in Christchurch. The vast majority of our team are out on site, so we just needed enough office space to house a boardroom, a few workstations and a reception area.
Why did you choose this building for your business?
We were very keen to occupy office space in a building that we were involved in developing and constructing. It’s fantastic that we were able to secure space in 123 Victoria Street, which is an absolutely stunning building and a great showpiece for our nationwide construction portfolio. A further bonus is that MAP Architects, who design most of the commercial construction projects we work on, are based right next door. This is highly beneficial as it means we’re able to have face-to-face contact with them every day – creating plenty of proactive dialogue throughout the design and construction process.
Had you considered other sites?
We did, but given a significant proportion of our Christchurch-based work at the moment is on and around Victoria Street, the location is perfect. Being able to walk to many of our construction sites rather than drive is a real benefit.
Is there a reason you went into Victoria Street and not further into the CBD?
For a construction company with a highly mobile workforce, it’s essential to have easy access between the office and our construction sites. Victoria Street is ideal as it provides quick links to main arterial routes around the city and our building offers plenty of tenant parking.
How have you found working with Countrywide Property?
We have a very close relationship with Countrywide and have worked together on several major projects over the years. We also work with them on building maintenance. It’s fantastic to have our office in a Countrywide building, where we can enjoy lots of daily contact and close communication with their team.
Can you describe your fitout?
Our office space was previously hospitality premises, so we completely refitted the space into a bespoke office tenancy that suited our needs, including installing a feature reception area. We’re delighted with the end result.
