Former Telecom HQ to become luxury apartment condo’

Former Telecom HQ to become luxury apartment condo’ as office tower conversion trend gathers pace

The former headquarters of corporate heavyweight Telecom is to be converted into a luxury apartment block – complete with its own international-style concierge doorman, a library, theatre, gymnasium, and a heated infinity pool overlooking Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.

The 15,521 square metre, 15 level block on the corner of Hopetoun Street overlooking Auckland Girls Grammar School is being transformed into an 18 level apartment complex. It will feature 119 freehold dwellings ranging in price from 390,000 up to $5 million-plus for the penthouse suite.

The tower was owned by Brookfields and is under contract to be purchased by New Zealand-owned development firm Tawera Group - a family-owned company which has been active in residential development since 1991 and recently won a merit award for its Vincent Street project in central Auckland.

Apartments in Hereford Residences are being sold by Bayleys Auckland. Fifty-four square metre one bedroom units are up for sale at $390,000, two bedroom units priced at $690,000, three bedroom residences available at $1.5 million, and the luxury 400 square metre apartment topping the bill at more than $5 million – making it one of the most expensive apartments ever seen in New Zealand.

The four-bedroom penthouse suite – complete with home theatre room and four bathrooms – will also contain some 75 square metres of decking... enough to play host to a spa pool complex, petanque pit, and even a badminton court.

Bayleys Auckland apartment specialist Trent Quinton said that apart from the array of owner amenities, the creative team had focused on essential apartment elements - such as ample car parking, storage lockers and acoustic design and earthquake compliance

Mr Quinton said Tawera Group had been buoyed into undertaking the Hereford Residences conversion after virtually selling out a similar project directly across the The neighbouring office/apartment conversion has seen what was the former Baycorp HQ being transformed into 91 dwellings. Of the 91 apartments taken to market, only a handful remain to be sold on completion.

“Hereford Residences will be the first apartment block in New Zealand to have its own concierge. That concierge will be far more than just a doorman – it is envisaged they will be the personal-organisers for residents in the block – organising everything from restaurant bookings and show tickets through to dry cleaning pick ups and even car valeting,” Mr Quinton said.

Bayleys Realty Group Ltd, Maritime Square, 4 Viaduct Harbour Ave, Auckland, New Zealand Mr Quinton said the block would also have its own on-site property manager who would look after the heated infinity swimming pool and manicured vegetation.

With Hereford Residences apartment marketing officially beginning on August 21, Mr Quinton expected that between 90–95 percent of buyers would be owner/occupiers.

Josephine Love, the interior specialist for the project, has focused the size, layout and colour palette on the tastes of owner/occupiers .She said Tawera had strict quality benchmarks which dovetailed perfectly for owner/occupier expectations.

“David Mahoney, director of Tawera Group, spearheaded the new trend in inner city living by launching the sellout Vincent Street Apartments in 2012. We’ve seen the shoe box rental apartment re-emerge in this wave, but we adhere strictly to quality buildings in outstanding locations pitched for owner/occupiers,” Ms Love said, Bayleys Auckland apartment sales specialist Trent Quinton added: “Auckland’s commercial zone has been geographically pulled seaward over the past four years – with new premium-grade office premises in and around Britomart, at North Wharf, and with the huge development along Fanshawe Street.”

“The flow-on effect has seen considerable movement in the office leasing sector, and with a parallel demand for high-end luxury apartments following several years of inactivity in the apartment building scene, the time was right for Tawera Group to undertake this Hereford Residence project.

“The development is very much in line with the Auckland Unitary Plan’s call for greater intensification on existing footprints,” he said. “That is a desire to build ‘up’ rather than ‘out’.” Former Telecom HQ to become luxury apartment condo’ as office tower conversion trend gathers pace The former headquarters of corporate heavyweight Telecom is to be converted into a luxury apartment block – complete with its own international-style concierge doorman, a library, theatre, gymnasium, and a heated infinity pool overlooking Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour.

The 15,521 square metre, 15 level block on the corner of Hopetoun Street overlooking Auckland Girls Grammar School is being transformed into an 18 level apartment complex. It will feature 119 freehold dwellings ranging in price from $390,000 up to $5 million-plus for the penthouse suite.

The tower was owned by Brookfields and is under contract to be purchased by New Zealand-owned development firm Tawera Group - a family-owned company which has been active in residential development since 1991 and recently won a merit award for its Vincent Street project in central Auckland.

Apartments in Hereford Residences are being sold by Bayleys Auckland. Fifty-four square metre one bedroom units are up for sale at $390,000, two bedroom units priced at $690,000, three bedroom residences available at $1.5 million, and the luxury 400 square metre apartment topping the bill at more than $5 million – making it one of the most expensive apartments ever seen in New Zealand.

The four-bedroom penthouse suite – complete with home theatre room and four bathrooms – will also contain some 75 square metres of decking... enough to play host to a spa pool complex, petanque pit, and even a badminton court.

Bayleys Auckland apartment specialist Trent Quinton said that apart from the array of owner amenities, the creative team had focused on essential apartment elements - such as ample car parking, storage lockers and acoustic design and earthquake compliance

Mr Quinton said Tawera Group had been buoyed into undertaking the Hereford Residences conversion after virtually selling out a similar project directly across the The neighbouring office/apartment conversion has seen what was the former Baycorp HQ being transformed into 91 dwellings. Of the 91 apartments taken to market, only a handful remain to be sold on completion.

“Hereford Residences will be the first apartment block in New Zealand to have its own concierge. That concierge will be far more than just a doorman – it is envisaged they will be the personal-organisers for residents in the block – organising everything from restaurant bookings and show tickets through to dry cleaning pick ups and even car valeting,” Mr Quinton said.

Mr Quinton said the block would also have its own on-site property manager who would look after the heated infinity swimming pool and manicured vegetation.

With Hereford Residences apartment marketing officially beginning on August 21, Mr Quinton expected that between 90–95 percent of buyers would be owner/occupiers.

Josephine Love, the interior specialist for the project, has focused the size, layout and colour palette on the tastes of owner/occupiers .She said Tawera had strict quality benchmarks which dovetailed perfectly for owner/occupier expectations.

“David Mahoney, director of Tawera Group, spearheaded the new trend in inner city living by launching the sellout Vincent Street Apartments in 2012. We’ve seen the shoe box rental apartment re-emerge in this wave, but we adhere strictly to quality buildings in outstanding locations pitched for owner/occupiers,” Ms Love said,Bayleys Auckland apartment sales specialist Trent Quinton added: “Auckland’s commercial zone has been geographically pulled seaward over the past four years – with new premium-grade office premises in and around Britomart, at North Wharf, and with the huge development along Fanshawe Street.”

“The flow-on effect has seen considerable movement in the office leasing sector, and with a parallel demand for high-end luxury apartments following several years of inactivity in the apartment building scene, the time was right for Tawera Group to undertake this Hereford Residence project.

“The development is very much in line with the Auckland Unitary Plan’s call for greater intensification on existing footprints,” he said. “That is a desire to build ‘up’ rather than ‘out’.”

ends

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