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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Nov 25, 2011 21:44:44 GMT 12
Control tower ‘a plane spotter's dream’By ROELAND VAN DEN BERGH - The Dominion Post | 5:00AM - Friday, 25 November 2011  GREAT VIEW (left): Plans are afoot to replace Wellington Airport's control tower with a new, hi-tech model.
THE NEIGHBOURHOOD (right): Wellinton Airport's control tower nestles among homes in Rongotai.
— Photos: ANDREW GORRIE/Fairfax NZ.WELLINGTON AIRPORT's control tower could become the ultimate plane spotters' pad if it were put up for sale as part of plans to replace it, a real estate agent says.
Airways New Zealand plans to replace the 50-year-old tower in the next two years with a hi-tech version, this time directly on airport land.
The tower sits among hillside suburban houses on Tirangi Road in Rongotai at the northwestern side of the airport.
It is thought to be the only one in the world with a street address and its own letterbox. Control towers are usually built on airport land.
Harcourt Wellington managing director Marty Scott said the tower would have a "novelty and uniqueness factor" which would appeal to residential or commercial buyers.
"Wellington is full of enough creative energy — they could make the most of that and convert it into an interesting home."
It would be difficult to value the tower on a comparable basis with similar properties, Scott said.
Its value would come down to size and how practical it would be to live in, plus a premium or discount, according to the buyer.
"For somebody who is mad keen on aviation, and there is a lot of people like that", it could appeal, he said.
Neighbouring houses, however, could also increase in value if the large tower was demolished.
Airways New Zealand, which runs the country's air traffic control system, said two options were being considered: extending the existing tower to give it a better view of the airport, or moving to a new site.
Airways chief executive Ed Sims said his preference was to move the tower to a new site closer to Lyall Bay, on airport land near The Warehouse.
The current tower lacked a clear view of some of the terminal gates, in particular the regional gates at the southern end.
"Our clear preference is to have full line of sight," Sims said.
Housing had also built up around the tower over the years, "which is not good for the residents, and not good for us".
The new tower would feature the latest technology and heat-proofed windows with 360-degree views. It would be "at least as good as the Christchurch tower" which was built in 2009 and stood up to the major earthquakes.
The expected cost was yet to be determined.www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/6031723/Control-tower-a-plane-spotters-dream
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Post by slackie on Nov 26, 2011 7:34:54 GMT 12
Great to see they picked an ex-Pitts pilot to stand in the foreground of the photo!
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Post by flyinkiwi on Dec 2, 2011 12:02:32 GMT 12
Neighbouring houses, however, could also increase in value if the large tower was demolished. What kind of BS journalism is this? I'd like to read the same peer reviewed study regarding residential land developments adjacent to busy international airports the writer got their facts from! |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 3, 2011 10:39:14 GMT 12
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Post by corsair67 on Dec 3, 2011 11:05:31 GMT 12
Look, it's even got a neat balcony for nude sunbaking! ;D
Since it has a street address and a letterbox, does this mean the staff on duty get visits from Jehovah Witnesses, charity collectors, various 'tradespeople' offering to repaint your roof/replace the gutters/offering great deals on cable tv/etc?
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Dec 3, 2011 22:13:46 GMT 12
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Mar 7, 2012 14:27:28 GMT 12
• Cafe planned near airport's runwayThe Dominion Post - Wednesday, 07 March 2012 Some interesting reader comments posted to the article...it appears to have developed into an argument over whether or not dogs should be allowed at the proposed cafe!  
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Post by sqwark2k on Mar 9, 2012 0:06:51 GMT 12
That Cafe looks suspiciously like the old Wellington Aero Club building......
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Post by Tony on Mar 9, 2012 1:30:11 GMT 12
That Cafe looks suspiciously like the old Wellington Aero Club building...... It is: www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/capital-life/6535049/Cafe-planned-near-airports-runwayCafe planned near airport's runway Plane spotters are about to get their own cafe in a recycled Wellington Aero Club building that will soon be moved to the edge of the runway at the Lyall Bay end of Wellington Airport. The building, which was used by the aero club from 1933, will be shifted next week to a corner of the airport beside the air force terminal. There it would have views of the touchdown zone at the southern end of the runway and of the Lyall Bay surf break, airport chief executive Steven Sanderson said. The aero club moved out of the old building last year and now uses a hangar beside the air ambulance base. Its old base was originally the home of the aerodrome superintendent and the front section was the Union Airways terminal. It was last moved from what is now the middle of the runway in the 1950s. Mr Sanderson said the airport was committed to preserving the building. It wanted to make the best use of it and the new location was a great one for beachgoers, plane spotters and dog walkers. "We expect this new community facility to be hugely popular with families and the many people interested in the airport and Wellington's signature surf beach." It will be trucked to its new site late next week. Aero club president Jason Henry said the club's old buildings had a lot of sentimental value. But its focus was on rebuilding the club and settling a claim for compensation from the airport for shifting the club. |
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Mar 9, 2012 18:57:47 GMT 12
That Cafe looks suspiciously like the old Wellington Aero Club building...... I guess I should have posted a comment to either click on the link at the top of my reply #6, or the picture to open the Dominion Post story. |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Mar 13, 2012 8:31:02 GMT 12
Another cafe, and the aero club is inside an asbestos hangar. That's fair...
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Mar 22, 2012 12:58:04 GMT 12
Airport's cafe move concernsHistoric aero club moved to Lyall Bay homeBy ASHLEIGH STEWART - The Wellingtonian | 5:00AM - Thursday, 22 March 2012 MOVING HOUSE: The first section of the former aero club building was trucked to its new site this morning.SURFERS at Lyall Bay are angry about Wellington Airport moving an historic airport building to the eastern end of the beach to turn it into a cafe.
The site for the cafe is a small vacant section on the corner of Cochrane Street and Moa Point Road, looking out over the beach and the neighbouring airport runway.
The building, built in the 1930s, was originally the house of the aerodrome superintendent and the Union Airways Terminal Building. The first section of the building was trucked from its old site early this morning and the second section will be moved tonight.
Local resident and keen surfer Howard Rait said he and other experienced surfers were worried the cafe would reduce already limited parking spaces and increase traffic on an already busy road.
"It's an inappropriate place for a cafe to go," he said.
He said there had been a poor consultation process between Wellington Airport and the community.
"Wellington Airport is very expansionist at the moment," he said. "Now you've got a private company running public land."
Wellington City Council spokesman Grahame Armstrong said that because the proposed site for the cafe was on airport land, the airport did not need any approval to move the building. If the building began functioning as something other than its intended purpose, Wellington Airport would have to apply for resource consent.
If the cafe goes ahead, it would be the fifth close to the beach. However, two local cafe owners are not concerned.
Maranui Cafe co-owner Matt Wilson said the development of a cafe in that location had been in the pipeline for a long time and would be great for business.
Ekim Burger caravan owner Mike Duffy, whose business operates at the Lyall Bay Beach car park, said that the competition that came with the cafe would be good for his business provided it came with amenities for the area.
"If they do it well it'll get the support of the people, but it has to be done involving the people."
Wellington Airport spokeswoman Kat Lintott did not respond specifically to Mr Rait's concerns, but said the cafe would be in a perfect location for surfers, dog-walkers and aviation enthusiasts, and that there would also be plenty of off-street parking.www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-papers/the-wellingtonian/6612318/Airports-cafe-move-concerns
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Post by Tony on Mar 22, 2012 16:37:28 GMT 12
Oh hell.
Bloody moaners and nimby's
Next they will moan about jet nosie frightening the waves into submission.......
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Sept 27, 2012 12:48:06 GMT 12
Wellington Airport hotel plans approvedBy HANK SCHOUTEN - The Dominion Post | 3:57PM - Wednesday, 26 September 2012 AIRPORT ACCOMMODATION: An artist's impression of the hotel planned for Wellington Airport.WELLINGTON AIRPORT plans for a 156 bedroom hotel on top of the terminal car park have been approved by Wellington City Council.
But airport chief executive Steve Sanderson says it would not start building anytime soon as it was just a feasibility study at this stage.
Detailed plans approved by council include architectural drawings and artwork showing the design of a four-storey hotel on top of the carpark beside the terminal building.
It would be linked to the passenger terminal with an enclosed airbridge. The proposal also involves the provision of a small conference venue.
Consent planner Anna Hanson said the approval was in the form of a certificate of compliance declaring that such a development was permitted in the airport precinct.
Mr Sanderson said it had sought similar approvals in 1998, 2004 and 2008 and the latest application was just to verify again that it could build a hotel if it wanted to.
Meantime council has issued resource consent for the airport company to convert the relocated former aero club building and operate it as a cafe and bar.
The building was moved a few hundred metres earlier this year to a site next to the air force terminal on the western side of the runway near the junction of Lyall Bay Parade and Cochrane Street.
Council planning officer Karen Williams said the cafe proposal would have positive effects as it would bring a degree of vitality to an area that was highly valued by the public. The re-use of the former aero club building, which had direct links to the aviation industry, was also positive.www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/commercial-property/7727254/Wellington-Airport-hotel-plans-approved
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Apr 10, 2013 14:59:32 GMT 12
Airport unveils $40m terminal plans$40m terminal expansion plan unveiledBy HANK SCHOUTEN - The Dominion Post | 11:21AM - Wednesday, 10 April 2013 The area shaded in yellow shows the area planned for extension at Wellington Airport. — Image: WELLINGTON AIRPORT.WELLINGTON AIRPORT has released new concept drawings for its $40 million domestic terminal expansion project.
Work on the project, which will expand the terminal by a third, is expected to start late this year and be completed by 2015.
Airport spokesman Greg Thomas said detailed designs should be finished in four months. A concept drawing shows plans for Wellington Airport's $40 million extension of its domestic terminal. — Image: WELLINGTON AIRPORT.Meanwhile expressions of interest from construction companies close on April 19 and tenders will be called when designs are completed.
The terminal will have a larger and more open floor plate to provide more space for passenger lounges and retail space.
The present terminal building will be extended about 30 metres south and the width of the south-west pier will be doubled. A concept drawing shows plans for Wellington Airport's $40 million extension of its domestic terminal. — Image: WELLINGTON AIRPORT.The south-west pier, where Air New Zealand has its gates, is expected to be converted to handling jet aircraft only.
The plan is to make the whole pier a secure area with one central security point. The larger gate lounges will help speed up the movement of passengers and aircraft turnaround times.
A fourth baggage carousel will be installed in the baggage claim area and another gate will be provided for smaller turboprop aircraft flying provincial routes. A concept drawing shows plans for Wellington Airport's $40 million extension of its domestic terminal. — Image: WELLINGTON AIRPORT.The airport company expects the terminal will handle 6 million passengers a year by 2015 and 8 million by 2020.
When it was opened in 1999 the terminal handled about 3.5 million passengers a year. That figure has now grown to about 5.5 million.
Mr Thomas said the airport company would spend $100m on infrastructure in the next five years.
"The Rock" international terminal, which opened in 2010, cost $39 million, and the whole international terminal project cost $60m. Work started in 2006.www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/commercial-property/8532193/Airport-unveils-40m-terminal-plans
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Post by Dave Homewood on Apr 10, 2013 16:17:27 GMT 12
At least it's not hideously ugly like the terminal they opened a few years back.
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Apr 10, 2013 18:44:30 GMT 12
At least it's not hideously ugly like the terminal they opened a few years back.  |
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Post by beagle on Apr 10, 2013 22:04:59 GMT 12
I used to be a regular at Wellington Airport due to the only way getting in and out of Blenheim was the Friendship across the ditch. Often it was straight to the bar, if I had a few hours to wait.
Must be at least 20 years since i have been inside there. Suppose there have been some changes.
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Post by ngatimozart on Apr 11, 2013 13:20:00 GMT 12
That bar was a good place in between flights ;D
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Post by kiwithrottlejockey on Apr 11, 2013 15:18:08 GMT 12
I presume you're talking about the bar in the old (former) de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth factory? 
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