ANZ upgrade below par, says local

Proposed changes to the ANZ Centre on Albert St. Photo / Supplied

The $76 million upgrade of Auckland's ANZ Centre has drawn criticism from a city resident, objecting to a new coffee kiosk and street-level landscaping.

Tim Hannah gave the thumbs down to AMP NZ Office's refurbishment of its 40-level block fronting Albert, Federal and Swanson Sts, saying yet another coffee bar would rise there.

Warren & Mahoney designed the changes and Fletcher Construction started an extensive redevelopment at ground level, blocking public access to some areas and establishing a base at the tower where work will continue next year.

The job includes building a big new glazed pavilion lobby off Albert St, so entrance to the tower will shift from the steps on the Albert St/Swanson St corner to the seaward end of the block where escalators will move people to the level one lobby and elevator area.

New building services will be installed floor by floor and work is starting from levels nine to 13.

But Hannah said the kiosk on the Swanson St side of the tower had a charmless profile and the dimensions of a container or double garage, an awkward contrast to the gracefully curved building.

"From the square, its flat facade will offer an unappealing sight, abruptly terminating any view. The public space will be a modest grassed area, consigned to the least sunny part of the site. Perhaps fortunately, fewer trees are envisaged than on the site hitherto and no public art, to judge from the sketch publicly available. What a pity. Other recent CBD property developers have done much better," Hannah said.

ANZ signed up to a new 15-year lease from January 2014, occupying 17,700sq m in the building and becoming the landlord's largest customer in return for its upgrade.

Pritchard said Auckland Council's Urban Design Panel had strongly endorsed the designs including the kiosk and the landscaping to the rear of the site.

"I have met with Tim Hannah who doesn't like the idea of an external kiosk. I have explained our rationale around the design and provision but that clearly hasn't changed his view," Pritchard said.

The landscaping planned at the bottom of the tower will continue the themes already established in the upgrade at St Patrick's Square opposite, he said.

"Our clients in the building wanted more amenities because there's only one coffee operator and that's in the foyer," Pritchard said.

The kiosk would also provide a hard boundary to the site and its design was in keeping with the new main entranceway being built on the other side of the tower, he said.

"You can't please everyone," Pritchard said.