Big Takapuna Church Site Offers Development Opportunity

Two adjoining sites comprising close to a quarter of a hectare of land in a high profile corner position opposite Vodafone’s head office building in Takapuna are for sale with a variety of future development options.

The property in two titles, at 64-66 Taharoto Rd and 2 Northcote Rd, was formerly the home of the Church of North Shore City and comes with a vacant 230 sq m church building and a 140 sq m dwelling plus 40 carparks.

The offering is being marketed by Stephen Scott and Robert Platt, Bayleys Auckland in conjunction with Ranjan Unka, Bayleys North Shore Commercial. Featured in Bayleys’ Total Property portfolio, it is for sale by tender, closing Thursday December 7, unless sold prior.

“This is an underutilised site given its strong location on the corner of one of the North Shore’s busiest intersections opposite the Vodafone building and the Smales Farm business park,” says Scott. “It offers great exposure to high volumes of passing traffic that could be taken fuller advantage of as well as dual access from the two roads.”

Currently there are month-by-month leases in place over all of the carparks, along with short term tenancies on the dwelling at 2 Northcote Road which has been subdivided into two units. The rear unit has a residential tenancy while the road front unit is leased out as professional rooms for a medical therapist. Between them the car park, residential and commercial tenancies are generating total gross monthly income of approximately $6,616.

The church building is vacant, giving a new owner the potential to add value and earn additional income in the short term by hiring it out or possibly reconfiguring it for some other more regular use, says Scott.

“However, longer term the property needs to be developed more intensively to unlock its full value. A favourable Business – Mixed Use zoning under the Auckland Unitary Plan enables that to be done.

“It allows for a range of residential and/or predominantly smaller scale commercial activity up to a height limit of 18m. There are no floor to land area restrictions enabling development to the boundaries to maximise the property’s substantial profile to two arterial roads.

“Wide ranging potential views from upper levels, including of Lake Pupuke, Auckland’s CBD and the Hauraki Gulf, would increase its appeal for a residential, hotel, or short-term apartment stay style development.”

The larger of the two titles is at 64-66 Taharoto Road which also contains the church building and comprises 1,684 sq m of land. However, 206 sq m has been gazetted for roading use by Auckland Council. The 2 Northcote Rd title encompasses 817 sq m of land, providing a combined area across the two sites of approximately 2,295 sq m which would be usable for development, says Scott.

Taharoto Rd is a major arterial route which carries high traffic volumes in and out of Takapuna’s CBD, particularly in peak hours, while Northcote Rd is also a very busy road leading to and from the Northern Motorway, says Unka.

He says the property for sale is within easy walking distance of Lake Pupuke, as well as the neighboring Quarry Lake, Smales Farm and North Shore Hospital, with many other complementary medical services conveniently located nearby.

“AUT University, the northern bus way as well as Takapuna and Milford’s substantial retail and commercial centres and their beaches are also only a short drive away. There is also good access to the Auckland CBD via nearby motorway and public transport connections.”

ENDS

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