Planned IT hub could spark revival
Epic co-leader visiting Google campuses to get ideas
Wednesday, July 27 2011 || News || BY Tina Law, The Press
Thirty earthquake-displaced IT businesses, employing more than 440 people, want to move to the former Para Rubber site, on the corner of Tuam and Manchester streets, on the edge of the red zone.
Christchurch Deputy Mayor Ngaire Button said two high-level Google executives had offered to provide free advice on the site development.
The IT business group, Enterprise Precinct and Innovation Campus (Epic), has asked the Christchurch City Council, which owns the 4000-square-metre block, to grant it site use for three years at no cost.
The council will consider the request on Thursday.
The site was one of five inner-city areas bought by the council for $17 million from property developer David Henderson in 2008.
Epic co-leader Colin Anderson, director of IT consultancy Effectus, said a cluster of IT companies would add much-needed vibrancy to the central city because IT workers were socialisers, had more disposable income than many people and were aligned to inner-city living.
"We'll probably be a bit lonely for the first 12 months. We will have to make our own noise," he said. Epic was hoping to have businesses working from the site, in a two to three-storey facility, by Christmas.
Anderson said the cost of setting up the IT campus would be substantial and the group had approached the Government for funding.
Epic co-leader Wil McLellan, chief executive of computer game designer Stickmen Studios, said it was an opportunity for Christchurch to make innovation an essential component of the city. "It will help stimulate growth in Christchurch and show the world that Christchurch is embracing the future."
McLellan was speaking from California, where he was visiting large Google campuses to get ideas.
The 30 companies were displaced in either the February or September quakes and were now operating from homes, in warehouses and from whatever premises they could find, McLellan said.
However, it was hard for companies to recruit and retain staff because it was difficult to attract people to work in poor conditions, he said. One of the major points of the project was also to harness the power of collaboration, McLellan said.
After the February 22 quake, Stickmen Studios had to leave its central Hereford St site and share premises with five other companies. While it was inconvenient, the experience showed the benefits of collaboration, McLellan said.
"We do not all have time to drive around to each other's offices, but if we can just walk across the car park and bump into a fellow CEO, that's when opportunities start to be created."
Christchurch had more than 400 IT and hi-tech companies but there was not a huge amount of collaboration, he said. The Para Rubber site was expected to be in use while Epic developed longer-term and larger facilities within the central city.
Button said technology was seen as one of the key areas to promote growth in the central city.
"Establishing the innovation campus will enable the 30 businesses to continue operating, attract skilled workers and protect growth through the development of collaborative business opportunities." She said Christopher Coleman, Google's director of global real estate, and Craig Nevill-Manning, an engineering director, had offered to provide free advice.
SLI Systems chief executive Shaun Ryan, who was looking to move into the hub, said it was a great opportunity. "It will create long-term employment and help bring some energy back to the heart of the city.''
- The Press
Would like to establish coffee roastery and cafe and building fund to help out
Is this a possiblity
Pierre
Posted by Pierre de Lautour at 12:48 on July 29, 2011
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