The site probably has the longest river frontage in Hamilton East, agent says.

Hamilton East village is at a crossroads.

A swathe of prime real estate between Grey St and the Waikato River has hit the market, and it should be sold by Christmas.

Hamilton Mayor Andrew King wants to see high-end apartments replace the Waikato Regional Council headquarters, but several local business owners want the 7600sqm site to keep hosting offices which bring foot traffic to their doors.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF The council site probably has the longest river frontage in Hamilton East, Colliers International agent Alan Pracy said.

There's still time to decide, though - regional council's more than 400 workers aren't expected to move until mid-2020.

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King can already imagine million-dollar apartments along the river.

TOM LEE/STUFF Million-dollar apartments are what Hamilton Mayor Andrew King imagines on the Waikato Regional Council site (file photo).

"Hamilton East is a neat community already and I think, with the right level of residential accommodation ... it's going to take it to the next level. I think that site's far, far better than student accommodation. I think it's upmarket apartments," he said.

"The river views, and they've got the sun, and you're in the middle of that village atmosphere."

They would also be close to the CBD and, down the road, a Stark Property project to turn the former Hill Laboratories building into apartments is under way, King said.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF Council has always been a big part of Hamilton East, Theo's Cafe and Eatery owner Theo Temara said.

He expected retail to remain on the Grey Street frontage of the regional council site.

Colliers International is pitching number 401 as a "riverfront redevelopment", and a deadline private treaty closes early December.

It probably has the longest river frontage in the suburb, Colliers agent Alan Pracy​ said, and it could be a key site for Hamilton East's future.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF There are more than 400 Waikato Regional Council staffers spread between several buildings in Hamilton East.

Such big riverside sites, and with so many buildings, rarely come on the market - it's probably a two in a decade kind of thing.

Colliers is already getting enquiries after listing on Tuesday, Pracy said.

It could be used for anything from apartments, a hotel, a revamp of the existing buildings, or levelling the lot to do a mixed-use development.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF If the site is turned into apartments, people are likely to be away at work during the day and not using local businesses, Grey Street Motors owner Craig Williams said.

Grey Street Motors owner Craig Williams isn't happy to see council's foot traffic go.

The exodus of 400-odd office workers wouldn't just affect his business, but also the food outlets, he said.

"When [the regional council staffers are] gone, who's going to spend the money?" he said.

MARK TAYLOR/STUFF The Waikato Regional Council headquarters sits on 7600sqm of land, and Colliers International agent Alan Pracy says it probably has the longest river frontage in Hamilton East (file photo).

While he has a loyal clientele, sometimes convenience trumps loyalty, he said.

"Offices, things like that [on the council site], will be okay," he said. "But if it's residential, they drive to work ... They're not here during the day."

Council has always been a big part of Hamilton East, said Theo's Cafe and Eatery owner Theo Temara - who worked in a previous cafe in the same spot.

CHRISTEL YARDLEY/STUFF The potential drop in foot traffic is a worry for some Hamilton East business owners.

His cafe opened about a month ago and council staffers were happy to have it back, he said.

"We would love for them to stay because they're a huge part of our business."

He also hoped for more offices and the accompanying foot traffic, saying he thought Hamilton East was like the Ponsonby of Hamilton.

MARK TAYLOR/STUFF Regional council will move to the Kmart building in central Hamilton in July 2020 (file photo).

"We would need something or someone to fill that space, to uplift Grey Street itself, bring a whole lot of vibrancy."

Fish Punk chef Andrew Madsen is used to getting a few council staffers in for lunch, and said the move was going to take a lot out of Hamilton East.

The regional council site has access from both Grey and Cook streets and there are currently three office blocks on it.

There are also further on-site car parks, a car park block and some storage space.

Overall, there are 4700 square metres of building floor space.

Regional council plans to shift staff into the central city Kmart building in July 2020.

It has previously said that will bring its staff under one roof, instead of owning some sites and leasing half a dozen others.

Once in the Kmart building, council's landlord would be Stark Property.