A Sign of Better Times

Sunshine Coast Daily - 02 December, 2010

The recently-signed contract to build The Corporate Centre at Maroochydore is significant, and not just because it is worth $14.5 million.

It also signals a potential turnaround in the fortunes of the construction industry on the Sunshine Coast.

Construction on the 36-lot strata title office at 13 Norval Court began this week and is expected to create hundreds of jobs.

“Signing the contract with Hutchinson Builders is the conclusion of a great deal of time and effort in the current economic climate,” MCH Corporation managing director Terry Ell said.

“It gives me great satisfaction to see The Corporate Centre is about to commence. I am very excited and certain that this is a sign of better times to come.” The Corporate Centre has been several years in the planning stages and is the only major commercial building of its type currently under construction in the Maroochydore area.

Hutchinson Builders Sunshine Coast’s Michael Crocker said the project was creating much-needed employment on the Coast.

“We’ve been involved in a number of projects in this area, such as a government office block, which is coming to a close, but other than that there’s not a real lot of (large-scale commercial) development happening,” Mr Crocker said.

“I would love to have five more projects like this, but unfortunately there’s just not enough.

“We’ve been working on this for about two years so it’s great that it’s been finalised and is happening.” Mr Crocker said he had received phone calls from neighbouring business owners who were eagerly anticipating the start date.

“At the moment it’s just a vacant block of land but it won’t be long until you’ll see a very stylish building here and it will be a magnificent addition in Norval Court,” Mr Crocker said.

“The Corporate Centre will certainly lift the standard here.

“Probably car parking is the biggest issue in this area and The Corporate Centre has addressed this with 121 car-parking spaces onsite, which is terrific and will prevent that parking congestion.” The Corporate Centre is due for completion on September 19, 2011.

Mr Ell said Hutchinson Builders had a long and solid career spanning four generations in Queensland, which impressed the locally owned and run MCH Corporation.

He said Hutchinson Builders was established in 1912 and was Queensland’s largest privately owned building company.

The company is set to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2012 and has been involved in many Sunshine Coast projects recently, including a government office building, units in Caloundra, a school building, a project at Quad Park and another at the botanical gardens in Tanawha.

The Corporate Centre will cater for businesses needing space from 47sq m to 544sq m, with prices from $180,000 plus GST.  

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