Prime Minister opens Generus Living Group’s the Foundation retirement village

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with Graham Wilkinson of Generus Living Group, alongside Wendy Petrie at the opening of The Foundation in Parnell. Photo / Alex Burton

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called for success to be celebrated more in New Zealand as he today opened Generus Living Group’s new Parnell retirement village, expected to cost nearly $500 million to complete.

“I think as a country we don’t celebrate things enough,” Luxon told guests and the residents of the new Nathan Residences at the Foundation where an occupation rights agreement on the penthouse sold for $4m.

The opening was in the historic neighbouring Jubilee Building on Parnell Road.

Luxon praised Generus director and founder Graham Wilkinson, saying he had contributed significantly by forming a successful joint venture with Blind and Low Vision NZ, formerly the Blind Foundation.

Together, they formed Foundation Properties which has developed Nathan Residences, the first of four planned buildings within the village.

Nathan Residences, the first of four blocks at the Foundation. This is the aspect from Maunsell Rd in Parnell. Photo / Alex Burton

“The vision and the way you worked with your partner here has been absolutely brilliant,” Luxon told Wilkinson and guests at the opening.

Generus Living Group, a private business wholly owned by Wilkinson, has six retirement villages. Those are:

1. Parnell’s the Foundation;
2. Mt Eden’s Ranfurly Village;
3. Mt Maunganui’s Pacific Lakes Village;
4. Mt Maunganui’s Pacific Coast Village;
5. Fendalton’s Holly Lea Village;
6. Burnside’s Russley Village.

The new Nathan Residences (left) on Maunsell Rd with a second block, Abbott Residences (right), now under construction. Kalmar Construction won both contracts. These buildings are the first two of four at the Foundation. Photo / Alex Burton

“The company has focused on the upscale village segment for more than 15 years,” said Wilkinson who is also president of the Retirement Villages Association which represents owner operators.

Wilkinson told guests the inspiration for the Foundation was the Chelsea Barracks in London’s Belgravia, a redevelopment of Victorian infantry battalion residences.

The new Parnell village had been in planning for several years, he said.

The original historic 1908 Jubilee Building (left) with the new Nathan Residences (right) at the Foundation retirement village in Parnell. Photo / Alex Burton

The new vertical village neighbours Tāmaki Paenga Hira the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

The Foundation is in the block bounded by Parnell Rd, Maunsell Rd, George Street and Titoki St.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon with Graham Wilkinson of Generus Living Group, alongside Wendy Petrie at the opening of The Foundation in Parnell. Photo / Alex Burton

Two buildings on the site are category one Heritage New Zealand buildings: Jubilee Building and Pearson House, Wilkinson said.

So the challenge in developing new buildings was to honour and uphold the old.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon (left) today opened the Foundation developed and owned by Generus Group, headed by Graham Wilkinson (right). Photo / Alex Burton

Four buildings will eventually comprise the Foundation, of which only one new one has been completed to date:

1. Nathan Residences, 541 Parnell Rd, a new five-level block with 46 apartments built by Kalmar Construction, opened last October. Blind Low Vision NZ has new ground-level space there. Three apartments remain to be sold. Units sold from $1.5m to $4m. Named after two Nathans who were chairmen of the Royal Foundation of the Blind;
2. Abbott Residences, Maunsell Rd, construction of a five-level block with 60 units is underway by Kalmar Construction on the site where Blind and Low Vision’s headquarters once stood. The new building is named after John Abbott who established the Jubilee Institute for the Blind in 1890. Due to be finished in 2026. Generus has had inquiries on units whose occupation rights agreements would sell for $50m, it said today;
3. Pearson House, 10 Titoki St, opened in 1926, a brick Georgian revival structure, category one, Heritage New Zealand where refurbishment and seismic strengthening work is now under way. Due to be finished in this year’s third quarter;
4. Pearson Residences, new 12-level building planned, progressing through fast-track consenting, at 4 Maunsell Rd and inclusive of 16 Titoki St. A wellness centre, restaurant and bar, two levels of aged care hospital and memory support care are planned. The building will be 10 levels high “before stepping back for two further penthouse levels”, Generus information said. The fast-track application from Bentley & Co says all up, 65 units are planned in a building to be 48m tall.

The Foundation is not due to be finished till 2028 when about 250 people will live there “with development costs approaching $500m”, a Generus statement issued today said.

The new blocks will be behind the existing red brick 1908 Jubilee Building at 545 Parnell Rd.

That originally housed the school for the vision impaired as well as a library, dormitories, dining hall and kitchen facilities.

Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.