THE $6.8m ALDI and associated retail development remains on track to be completed this year as the project begins to take shape at the prominent Mount Gambier site.
Cranes yesterday began erecting the first pre-cast panels for the skeleton of the sprawling ALDI warehouse, which will be the anchor retailer on the site.
The development will also accommodate four retail spaces along the Commercial Street East frontage.
Motorists are advised a section of Commercial Street East will be closed to traffic between 6am and 9am today as a safety precaution.
Project manager Carlin McNeil – who works for Kennett builders – said the street closure was necessary given the pre-cast panels would continue to be lifted into place today.
He said the city’s emergency services and council had been contacted ahead of the works this morning.
“We will have the pre-cast panels up by the end of the week for the ALDI section,” Mr McNeil said.
He said the structural steel component of the construction was likely to start “mid to late” next week or the following week.
“A week or two after the that, the construction of the roof will start,” Mr McNeil said.
The company spokesperson said the erection of the pre-cast panels yesterday generated significant interest from passers-by.
“We had media at the site yesterday at 7am yesterday. There is lot of interest because it involves ALDI as well as history of the site,” Mr McNeil said.
He said it was exciting to see the site – which was an eyesore for many years – revitalised into a modern retail destination.
“It is a great project to be involved in,” Mr McNeil said.
He said the underground works were 85pc completed, which included services, stormwater and footings for the ALDI building.
While the project posed a number of “design challenges”, the entire site is earmarked to be completed by the end of this year.
Regarding the additional retail spaces on the site, he said the slabs had been poured for these developments.
“The structural steel works will start on these after the main structural steel is completed on the ALDI section,” Mr McNeil said.
While there were rain delays due to the weather, Mr McNeil said the project was on track in terms of construction timelines.
“We are hoping with spring coming around, we can get a bit better weather. The biggest thing for us, given the high risk lifts, is the wind coming in this time of year,” he said.
Kennett – which has an office in Mount Gambier – is using mostly local contractors for the build with up to 25 personnel on the site every day.
Picture: SANDRA MORELLO
“Predominately, they have all been local,” Mr McNeil said.
The ALDI development – incorporating a 6944m2 supermarket – will also include four retail spaces at the site.
These four shops will be split into a group of three and another smaller shop, which was a former takeaway store space.
Site preparation works are continuing at the former Target store site, which will pave the way for the separate Coles development.
This development will house 10 speciality shops and will include more than 300 carpark spaces.
The Coles and ALDI developments are separate projects.
