Residents get access to this in-ground heated outdoor pool at Aroha, Avondale. Photo / Adrian Malloch Photography
Residents get access to this in-ground heated outdoor pool at Aroha, Avondale. Photo / Adrian Malloch Photography
Housing Minister Megan Woods is due today to open Ockham Residential’s 16th apartment building: the $74 million 117-unit Aroha in Avondale where places sold for as little as $450,000 with access to a heated in-ground swimming pool.
The block at the corner of Ash St and Great North Rd wasbuilt on land the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development bought from Eke Panuku for housing.
Peter Malcouronne, Ockham’s spokesman, said Marutūāhu-Ockham then bought that site from the Crown and developed it, pre-selling all units two years ago, showing high levels of demand for the places which all went for well under $1 million.
Paul Majurey, Megan Woods and Mark Todd at the opening of a new Waterview block by the same partnership in 2021. Photo / Alex Burton
In 2021, arborist and protest group spokesman Zane Wedding said the tree was planted in 1860 and was one of only two of that size and stature remaining in urbanised parts of the city. But developers questioned that date and had the tree assessed.
“Even in decline, even with its crown crumbling and several bent arms dead, this old mac endures,” wrote Ockham co-founder Mark Todd in January 2021.
It could easily live a decade, possibly longer, he said.
“While arborists say it’s in decline, and the council considers it a safety hazard under high winds, others argue a tree like this should be allowed to live out its natural life. You certainly would not cut it down without a good reason,” he said.
Miami vibe going on inside Aroha, Avondale. Photo / Adrian Malloch Photography
Malcouronne said Aroha was the third building from the Pākehā-Māori partnership: Tuatahi beside Mt Albert’s Pak’nSave was first, followed by Kōkihi on Great North Rd at Waterview and now Aroha.
That partnership’s fourth project is Onehunga’s Manaaki, now nearing completion.
Once that project is finished, Marutūāhu-Ockham will have delivered 541 Auckland apartments of which 199 will be KiwiBuilds for first-home buyers, he said.
Aroha’s 117 units include 47 KiwiBuild units, sold at a discount to market value to help first homeowners who met the criteria.
The brick-facade block is 8km from Auckland CBD.
Aroha's beautiful new heated outdoor pool. Photo / Adrian Malloch Photography
The one and two-bedroom block has 100 basement car parks. Marketing was launched in November 2020 and deposits were paid on all units by May 2021. Buyers were yesterday picking up keys ready to begin moving in, after the officials hold their launch event there at 4pm today.
Units sold from $450,000 for the one-bedroom KiwiBuild place without a carpark to the most expensive two-bedroom apartment with a carpark for $875,000.
Aroha pre-sales were so strong that deposits were taken on all units soon after marketing launched. Photo / Adrian Malloch Photography
“So far, we’ve completed 877 apartments across those 16 developments: we have a further 350 across three developments under construction and scheduled for completion later this year,” an Ockham spokesman said.
The block has two residents’ lounges, gardens and a garden room and a swimming pool, Malcouronne said.
The site was chosen partly for its proximity to public transport. The Great North Rd bus route was one of Auckland’s busiest and the Avondale train station is a nine-minute walk away, he said.
Marketing for the building described the suburb as “up-and-coming with everything going for it: a major town centre regeneration, new cafes and restaurants and Auckland’s biggest and most thrillingly diverse weekend market. It’s a brilliant community where people work hard, look forward to the future, look out for each other too.”
Residents get access to this in-ground heated outdoor pool at Aroha, Avondale. Photo / Adrian Malloch Photography
A community open day in late March had dozens streaming through, one visitor describing the block as “very cool” while others welcomed developers to the area, saying the block was Avondale’s best-looking building.
Ockham Residential has now completed:
1. The Ockham Building, 25 apartments, Kingsland
2. Wilkinson House (see below), Ellerslie
3. The Wamaka Buildings, Wilkinson Rd, Ellerslie, 18 apartments
Living/dining inside an Aroha unit, due to be opened today by Housing Minister Megan Woods. Photo / Adrian Malloch Photography
Malcouronne said Ockham Residential planned to finish three new buildings before the end of this year:
* Alto in Morningside around June;
* Onehunga’s new Manaaki around October;
* The Greenhouse, Williamson Ave, Ponsonby around November/early December.
All construction is by Ockham’s own building business and pre-sales on the three new blocks were also strong, Malcouronne said.
The Pākehā-Iwi partnership is also developing a new multi-billion-dollar Auckland “village within a city, an urban kāinga” of 40 new apartment buildings with more than 3000 units on land within the established suburb of Ōwairaka Mt Albert.
Paul Majurey, Marutūāhu chairman, has announced a scheme with Ockham Residential for the newly-created, newly-named suburb, Maungārongo beside Unitec and the old Carrington Hospital.
Architectural images of Marutūāhu and Ockham Residential apartments planned for a new suburb near to Mt Albert. Photos / Supplied
The Marutūāhu-Ockham Partnership plans work in the next 20 years within the larger Te Auaunga Precinct: nearly 40ha around the ex-hospital and neighbouring university being developed by three rōpū - Marutūāhu, Waiohua-Tāmaki and Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei.
Majurey said the almost 11ha share of Marutūāhu land would bring new mixed-use buildings to the established Ōwairaka Mt Albert community.
The Marutūahu-Ockham Partnership also bought 1.58ha of Avondale land from Auckland Council’s property arm for a $550m building of 750 apartments in eight blocks of up to 10 storeys.
Eke Panuku sold the land near Avondale Race Course to the joint venture. That land had 42 Kāinga Ora homes and a 3 Guys supermarket.
