Albert Square and The North Collection planned for New North Rd. Photo / supplied
Albert Square and The North Collection planned for New North Rd. Photo / supplied
Construction chief Anthony Leighs has launched a new Auckland train station-oriented $120 million 118-unit apartment development business, saying that's where he sees the future of this city.
And a public transport advocate said that shows vision and precisely where new residential city development should be headed.
Leighs, who founded nationalbuilders Leighs Construction with an $800m order book, today announced plans to build up to 118 apartments in two blocks near transport hubs.
His first Mt Albert scheme will be around $50m and his next Mt Eden scheme will be around $70m, he estimated.
"This is entering Auckland residential development around transport hubs and we will build medium-density around transport infrastructure," he said from his College Hill offices.
Leighs, based in Christchurch for around half his time and Ryman Healthcare director, is using an existing business owned by his family trust, Portus, as the new Auckland development arm. Leighs Construction will build the blocks. Portus already has a well-established track record, having built a number of residential, commercial and warehouse projects in Auckland and Christchurch.
"I spent nearly 30 years of my career focused on building important stuff in New Zealand like embassies, hospitals and other buildings. Leighs has been trading for almost 30 years and I've led the business from startup to now," he said, referring to experienced Scots-born construction boss Gary Walker having been appointed Leighs Construction's inaugural CEO last April.
Leighs Construction founder and owner Anthony Leighs. Photo / Greg Bowker
Now, he says it's time for him to head in a new direction.
• Albert Square, a 38-unit six-level building with two commercial/retail units on the ground floor, at 847 New North Rd, Mt Albert on the edge of the township, 300m from the Mt Albert train station. It's a build to sell. The North Collection is to be eight upmarket apartments in one block and another block will be built behind that. All up, 31 car parks will be offered. An existing building there has been demolished. Construction begins around the middle of this year.
• A larger Mt Eden scheme on the same road, with 60 to 80 apartments, at 140 New North Rd, near the Mt Eden train station. That is a build-to-rent scheme - apartments will never be sold, Leighs said.
Albert Square apartments are being sold from $750,000-$2m, Leighs said, and are already being marketed by Barfoot & Thompson.
That agency is advertising an 89sq m level-five two-bedroom two-bathroom one-car park unit for $1.4m. The unit has a 10sq m balcony.
Plans for The North Collection (left) with Albert Square behind (right). Photo / supplied
Leighs expressed strong confidence in the City Rail Link and said he was taken aback by some Aucklanders' negativity about that scheme.
"It will be a game-changer for Auckland," he said referring to apartment projects near train stations in Sydney and elsewhere. "With trains going through on a more regular basis, it will completely change commutes in Auckland."
Leighs said creating buildings of around six levels was much harder than one or two-levels.
"Medium density is not that easy. There's a level of complexity in the way the structures have to be built, fire systems, facades - all in all, it's more complicated than lower density but it's housing I believe Auckland city desperately needs."
Matt Lowrie, a director of Greater Auckland, praised Leighs' vision.
Plans for Mt Albert's new Albert Square by Portus. Photo / supplied
"Developers are waking up to the fact that having good transport access is the key to making things attractive. Out in Henderson, a huge number of developments are occurring really close to the train station. I don't know about individual developers except for Albert Square because I've seen pictures of it.
"It's great developers are linking together the need for not just development but being close to good transport options and the CRL will be great for that, particularly from the west as it will shorten journey times so considerably."
Towers would rise in New Lynn, had already risen in Glen Eden by the Ted Manson Foundation as well as in Henderson, Lowrie said.
An artist's impression of views from the planned Albert Square. Photo / supplied
"We're starting to see towers popping up close to train stations and that's a reflection of people recognising these are good options."
Leighs' move into Auckland apartments is a little like the new $210m Resident Properties - an alliance between builder Haydn & Rollett and Reidy & Co.
Lowrie said it also somewhat mirrored Shane and Anna Brealey's NZ Living and default KiwiSaver manager Simplicity forming a new business to develop Auckland, Tauranga and Wellington build-to-rent places.
Albert Square and The North Collection planned for New North Rd. Photo / supplied
Lowrie said it was ironic that the Albert Square site was once a petrol station. He hopes the Government and councils will encourage more higher-rise higher-density blocks near stations.
"You don't want one or two-level developments," he said.
Portus has already developed Merivale's high-rise Riverside apartments, an industrial warehouse project at 3 Rawiri Pl, Hobsonville and a commercial project, 1 Waterman, at Ferrymead, Christchurch.
Leighs is Portus managing director while ex-Fletcher and ex-Dominion Funds executive Paul Duffy is a non-executive director. Portus was named after the old Roman port, Leighs said.
In last year's Budget, it was announced that Leighs Construction won the Scott Base rebuild - one of the most unique building jobs awarded to a New Zealand firm.
Leighs said he was delighted when the job was confirmed by Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. Leighs Construction is the preferred contractor for what was previously budged to be a $250m redevelopment, replacing the existing base with three interconnected buildings.
