Residents start moving next month into the new twin-block waterfront residences.
Video / NZ Herald
Empty-nesters often selling a home to downsize and often debt-free are a significant buyer group at Hobsonville Point’s new $150 million Catalina Bay Apartments, its development chief says.
And there’s one thing many of the buyers are keen on.
“If we didn’t allow pets, it would take out20% of the sales,” developer David McGuinness says.
A balcony at the new $150m Catalina Bay Apartments. Photo / Jason Oxenham
McGuinness, managing director of Willis Bond, which funded and built the chocolate and cream-coloured aluminium-clad blocks with debt from one major bank, says people from the North Shore and surrounding areas have bought many of the 82 units.
“We’re hoping interest rates will change but a lot of our buyers don’t rely on borrowing,” he said.
Willis Bond has sold 65 of those places designed by Architectus.
The remaining unsold 17 range from one-bedroom often southwest or southeast-facing units for $1.1m up to a $5m penthouse on the top of the 13-level block.
Kitchens are by the East Tāmaki’s Central Joinery, McGuinness said.
Wood, stone, marble and natural colours are major features of the new Catalina Bay Apartments. Photo / Jason Oxenham
The west tower is 13 levels. The east tower is nine.
Throughout both buildings, units on a range of floors and prices make up the 20 unsold places.
Buyers considering the units were waiting for completion, McGuinness says.
Singaporeans showed strong interest when plans were presented to a room of about 70 two years ago.
Senior development manager Rohan McKain says they were keen on the units as holiday homes or for their university-aged offspring.
Although none have bought in the two towers, he thinks they might now they can physically view them.
This Sunday at 11am, Willis Bond holds its first open day: a two-level Wharf Terrace home on level one, accessed directly from the plaza designed by Cheshire Architects, will be made available for viewing.
Developer Willis Bond's managing director David McGuinness at the new apartments. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Those who want to see other places will have to book, a spokeswoman said.
By September, the first residents will start moving in.
Tradies are now finishing the last jobs inside and out.
Standing on an outdoor deck of a level-12 penthouse marketed for around $5m, Wellingtonian McGuinness has the bay sparkling behind him.
He has flown in from Wellington which he says has just endured one of its worst weeks of winter so he expresses delight with the finished quality and views.
He is a member of the family whose company LT McGuinness built the luxury blocks.
The almost-finished Catalina Bay apartments at Hobsonville Point. Photo / Jaxon Oxenham
Outdoor decks have cedar tongue and groove sofits, kitchens have waterfall marble benchtops and views are from the bridge to the west to the end of Beachhaven peninsula in the east.
Glass balustrades with stainless fixings, stone and timber-floor decks and stainless downpipes are features of the places, finished at the sharp end of the housing downturn.
The two blocks have 73 superb apartments and nine “terraced homes”, known as the Wharf Terraces. Five of the nine apartments around 2m above the ground are for sale.
Chocolate and cream exteriors at Catalina Bay Apartments. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Development manager Sarah Church says more than 51 piles were sunk as foundations: the building is supported on concrete pad and piled foundations which extend into the East Coast Bays Formation rock below.
Those 51 bored concrete piles extend up to 14m into the rock, Church said.
Apartment 1202 is a $2.7m two-bedroom sub-penthouse in the west tower.
Body corporate fees will equate to around $6000/year for every $1m an apartment sold for, Church said.
Kitchen with waterfall marble benches at Catalina Bay Apartments. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Apartment 801 (two bedrooms, two bathrooms) is 104sq m unit in the west tower with 26sq m double balconies on the north and south. It sold for just under $3.5m.
Apartment 902, a penthouse in the east tower on level nine, has a 3m wide entrance corridor and sold for close to $5m, the Willis Bond executives say.
McGuinness said about 2200 people worked on the two blocks which took 28 months to build.
Rohan McKain, Sarah Church and David McGuinness of Willis Bond at the Catalina Bay Apartments. Photo / Jason Oxenham
“This location is truly one of the great waterfront sites in Auckland. The water and surrounding views are exceptional thanks to the unique positioned at the edge of Catalina Bay wharf area,” he said.
As for the third planned much lower tower, plans are to develop that still but at some point in the future. Resource consent still allows its development.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 24 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
