Future-use Ideas Sought For Prominent Paihia Buildings

Future-use Ideas Sought For Prominent Paihia Buildings

Commercial community input has been sought on the future use of two of Paihia’s most prominent buildings which have been placed on the market for lease.

The buildings - housing Paihia’s fire station, and a waterfront café adjacent to the town’s central wharf - have both been identified as possessing the potential to help rejuvenate the town centre.

Both buildings are owned by the Far North District Council’s commercial property entity - Far North Holdings Limited.

Submissions for the future use and leasing interests of both buildings are being taken by Bayleys Paihia, with expressions of interest closing on May 23. Bayleys Paihia manager Chester Rendell said Far North Holdings Ltd was approaching future use developments of both properties with an extremely open mind.

“Far North Holdings is literally going out to the commercial property market and saying: ‘You tell us what should be in these buildings, or what they could be used for, and we’ll see how the opportunities fit into the long-term development plans for the town centre’,” Mr Rendell said.

“There’s no pre-conceived wish-list for the buildings, so any potential leaseholder can approach the projects as virtual blank canvases. There’s the old cliché about ‘no such thing as a dumb idea’ and that’s the approach being taken with both the fire station and the waterfront café.”

Paihia fire station is a 230 square metre single storey building sitting on 924 square metres of land with car parking for 14 vehicles, and potential access to a large council-owned car park at the rear of the property. The fire station personnel and equipment are relocating to nearby new premises later this year.

“The rectangular box-like structure and interior lay out of the fire station would allow for a relatively straightforward conversion to any number of commercial or retail premises, and with the benefit of having a substantial portion of undeveloped land at both the rear and side,” Mr Rendell said.

“The building has a prominent street frontage and could be reconfigured into a multi-tenancy location to accommodate the likes of several nationally-branded convenience food retailers such as Subway or Burger Fuel, a brewery-supported hospitality operation such as a Monteith’s or Mac’s bar, professional chambers, medical centre, or high-end gourmet food retailer such as Nosh or Farro Fresh.”

Meanwhile, the waterfront café - built in a pseudo-colonial style - is currently operating as Hansen’s licensed café trading during the day. The 280 square metre premises is split over two levels – with the business operating at street level, and the upper floor housing offices and a second commercial kitchen.

“With its waterfront location overlooking the bustling wharf and out across the bay, combined with its proximity to high foot-traffic passing through the car park, the waterfront café lends itself to continuing as a hospitality venue. There is also the potential for some additional retail activity on a small scale,” Mr Rendell said.

There is further opportunity to extend the existing cafe into the central retail area, increasing prominence and capturing the significant foot traffic moving in and around this area.

By combining the existing restaurant with the current chocolate/ice cream unit the whole dynamic and visual appeal is changed. The creation of a single unit running right through the building will add significantly to value and turn-over of any incoming tenant.

“Food and beverage consultants who have already viewed the site indicate there is considerable potential to better utilise the upper floor space as either a separate hospitality venue - perhaps leaning more towards large tour groups and function bookings.”

Rejuvenation of both property assets is fundamental to Far North Holding’s business objectives – primarily: “Maximising profit for its shareholder, the Far North District Council.”

Mr Rendell said any new use for the two Paihia CBD properties could comfortably dovetail into the visionary town centre masterplan launched by the Focus Paihia community group last year with the aim of creating a ‘village feel’ for the town’s commercial hub.

“Focus Paihia’s draft plan has identified that the social heart of Paihia would be around the existing wharf amenity – what it calls: ‘An urban green space which welcomes residents or tourists to linger, grab a bite to eat, or browse the various shops in the area’,” Mr Rendell said.

“Any creation of this locality as a social magnet for the town, with the potential to substantially increase pedestrian flows, would have an obvious advantage for the waterfront café premises – most likely as a food and beverage/hospitality operation.”

Mr Rendell said the Paihia Urban Design Guidelines Report also promoted the consolidation of retail and commercial activities around the existing core CBD with a suggestion of re-routing traffic around the town centre periphery.

“Under this urban design proposal, the fire station’s location would become directly adjacent to the enlarged central business district zone – which has also been mooted for a greater degree of pedestrian usage,” he said.

“Quite simply, that would equate to generating high foot traffic numbers directly in front of the premises.”

Mr Rendell said any new long-term lease holder for both the waterfront cage and fire station premises could obviously become key stakeholders in both Far North Holdings Ltd and Focus Paihia’s consultation processes for the town’s economic growth strategies.

“Both organisations are dedicated to driving the long-term attraction and sustainability of Paihia as both a tourist destination and place to live. Entrepreneurs with similar long-term visions would make perfect tenants at both locations being offered for lease,” he said.

Ripe for rejuvenation – enthusiastic new tenants are being sought for Paihia’s soon-to-be-mothballed fire station and nearby waterfront café.

ENDS

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