Christchurch earthquake: US mogul floats green ideals

Property developer Tony Malkin is a co-owner of the Empire State Building. Photo / Paul McKay

Wealthy greenie New York property mogul Tony Malkin, who spoke in Auckland on Thursday, met Prime Minister John Key to talk about rebuilding an eco-friendly Christchurch.

Malkin of Manhattan plans to spend more time in New Zealand, is developing a southern house and brought to Auckland two Wanaka architects, Anne Salmond of Salmond Architecture and Sarah Scott of Sarah Scott Architects. They attended his address to the Green Property Summit and he referred to his "personal project" in the lakes area.

Malkin is president of Malkin Holdings of One Grand Central Place and the business spent US$550 million ($730 million) on the Empire State Building.

But he is increasingly turning his eye to New Zealand and referred to applying to the Overseas Investment Office to buy land.

In September 2008, the office approved Redemption Song of the US buying 48.9ha of land at Littles Rd in Dalefield, Queenstown, for $4.5 million.

"The property will be made available as a physical classroom for educating Otago Polytechnic students and other New Zealand organisations in the field of design, construction and environmental sustainability," the office said.

An article in Queenstown's Mountain Scene newspaper, headlined Polytech sugar daddy a Big Apple Greenie, referred to a deal between Malkin and Otago Polytech. Malkin gave the polytech a "substantial ... there are five noughts on it," donation according to Phil Ker of the Polytech.

Malkin told the summit in Auckland he had talked to Key about a reconstructed Christchurch becoming a more energy-efficient city.

"We spoke about the rebuilding of Christchurch as the opportunity to present solutions which are more efficient, more sustainable, or resilient," he said after his speech.

Malkin told about 200 people how he hoped Key did not think of him as just another rich American.

Connal Townsend, NZ Property Council chief executive, said Malkin had talked in language which property investors could understand and he praised his address on the Empire State Tower's makeover.