Sod turned on Wodonga unit development on Elgin Boulevard

Mayor Ron Mildren and representatives of land owner Criterion Property Group and builder Paynter Dixon participated in the ceremonial start to The Quarter Wodonga.

The event on Thursday September 28 was the culmination of a journey to construction that had not been linear, Criterion founder John Mooney told onlookers.

"There's been a lot of twists and turns and complications," Mr Mooney said.

The development involves a five-storey building of 28 units which will front Elgin Boulevard and a three-storey commercial block at its rear.

Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Mooney and Criterion director Craig Williamson were brimming with excitement at work beginning.

"It's fantastic, it's been a longer journey than we expected when we first started," Mr Williamson said.

"There's been a few barriers in our way - COVID, material supply issues, construction industry issues, but we're just looking forward now very positively.

"We've engaged a very established builder Paynter Dixon, 100 years they've been in business, they operate out of Sydney but they're very experienced in the regions."

Contracts have been signed on half of the 28 units which are a mix of one, two and three-bedroom.

"We've got 50 per cent of the residential apartments spoken for, which is where we wanted to be when we started construction," Mr Williamson said.

Mr Mooney added that the purchasers were from the Border.

"(They're) people from Yackandandah, a few people from Albury, but they're all locals," Mr Mooney said.

Mr Williamson said buyers wanted two car spaces, height to accommodate a four-wheel drive with roof racks and storage space for kayaks and bikes.

Paynter Dixon southern NSW-ACT general manager Kirk Bolte said Border labour would be sought for the construction which is due to be completed in April-May 2025.

"The aim is to employ as many local sub-contractors as we can and that goes from the early works right through to the main project, wherever we work regionally we always try and give the locals the first opportunity to be involved in the project," Mr Bolte said.

Above ground work will not be visible until mid next-year.

Commercial businesses are still being sought, with Criterion hopeful that the start of construction will generate interest.

Mr Williamson said there was a plan to have an eatery on the ground floor of the residential block.

"Very prominent at the front of the building will be some type of restaurant-cafe, ideally promoting the local produce of the area, paddock-to-plate style," he said.

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