Preparations for the first business to move into the redeveloped CH Smith site are nearly complete.
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Roberts Real Estate has signed a lease with the site’s owner, Errol Stewart, to move into the building in February.
“Previously, signage banners almost identical to that proposed by Roberts, have been displayed at this location,” Mr Dick said in the development application.
Speaking to The Examiner, Mr Dick said Roberts met with Heritage Tasmania and the City of Launceston about six months before lodging the application in December.
“The council hasn’t [had an opinion on the signs] because they have to do things by the book, but as far as heritage are concerned they were very helpful,” Mr Dick said.
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He said part of the idea to use similar signs was to keep in touch with the building’s heritage.
“We weren’t interested in having really bold signs. We just wanted something to show people where we are, but we also wanted to be sympathetic to the building’s aesthetic values.”
The staff were excited to be moving into the new offices, Mr Dick said.
“We will be the first tenants in place, it’s exciting. There are [more than] 30 staff to relocate from two sites,” he said.
“Everyone is really chuffed with the new office. Arguably, we’ll have the flashest office in town when it’s complete.”
Roberts expect to be open at the new site by February 19.
“We hope to move in over the weekend, that’s a Monday, so we will be moving in and making sure our IT and systems are all good to go and it will be all systems go come 9am on Monday morning,” Mr Dick said.
Eventually Roberts will be joined on site by a cafe, a restaurant, state government offices and 300 council-owned car parking spaces.
The $20 million CH Smith redevelopment project is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
The site has been vacant for more than two decades.
We will be the first tenants in place, it’s exciting ... Arguably, we’ll have the flashest office in town when it’s complete.
- Roberts' state manager Khan Dick