Historic Ponsonby location prepared for development

130 Ponsonby Rd (left) was a service station in the 1930s; (above) an aerial view of the four-title area. Photo / Supplied

Situated on the corner of one of Ponsonby's busiest road junctions, a historic 2681sq m, four-title site has come on to the market at 130-132 Ponsonby Rd with offers closing on November 19.

Once the home of the well-known Open Late cafe and having housed the Alder & Co motor vehicle business for generations, the properties are making their first appearance on the market for several decades.

Colliers International brokers Bryce Holmes and Grant Magill are marketing the four high-profile sites for sale either as individual properties or as a single entity.

"They offer prominent retail space, cleared land that is ready for new development and a residential component," Holmes says.

The titles offer a mixture of three distinct types occupying a block bordered by Richmond Rd, Ponsonby Rd and Mackelvie St.

The building at 132 Ponsonby Rd, on a 531sq m corner site with Richmond Rd, contains 535.9sq m of net lettable retail, office and residential space and offers an income from a series of weekly leases.

'It's a character building with add-value development potential.

"Although it is well known to many people, it is not a designated historical building. Erected in 1911 as three self-contained units, with a ground-floor shop and residence upstairs, it was originally owned by the Leys Institute and managed by Auckland City Council," says Magill.

Among the original shops were a greengrocers, a dairy and an antiques store on the corner. The building is probably best known as the home of the Open Late cafe, the Auckland institution which was for decades the late-night haven for people of all ages looking for a snack.

Since the closure of the Open Late, clothing designers have occupied the retail units, with temporary offices and storage space on the upper floors.

"This has proved to be a consistently strong retail location over the decades, being very prominent at the junction of Ponsonby Rd and Richmond Rd," Magill says.

Equally high-profile, but next door to the corner building, is an open site at 130 Ponsonby Rd. Occupying a 1770sq m area, the apparent single piece of land is actually on two titles.

"It's a prime site that has been cleared ready for development," says Holmes.

Three generations of the Alder family worked in businesses there.

"It was originally used as a stable for the horses that pulled the Ponsonby road trams. Then, in the 1930s, it became a service station site that was leased by the Alders."

Owner Peter Alder says his father, Hugh, an early pioneer of motor transport and related businesses in New Zealand, bought the site and developed a family motor business and vehicle agency in the location.

"We sold new and used vehicles, including Rugbys and Renaults, and we offered comprehensive vehicle servicing and maintenance, as well as petrol. We were what was known as a 'split station' in that we sold petrol and oil from all the companies, including Europa, Atlantic, Caltex, Shell, Mobil, BP and Esso, and we also supplied all brands of tyres."

During the war, the business repaired and rebuilt American army vehicles that had been damaged in combat in the Pacific. In the1950s, the 130 Ponsonby Rd property was expanded to include a showroom, new forecourt and servicing facilities. In 1996, the site was leased to Mobil and in 2007, the buildings were demolished.

Alder said various schemes had been proposed for the site, including high-quality mixed office, retail and residential developments.

"The property is no longer suitable to be used as a service station in this area and requires a development that is in keeping with the new character of Ponsonby Rd," Holmes says.

The third property component of the four titles is a restored 329sq m villa at 2 Richmond Rd adjoining the corner retail site at 132 Ponsonby Rd.

"The two-storey villa has been reinstated to its historic grandeur," says Magill. "It was rebuilt in 2005-06 and comprises three bedrooms, a spacious dining room, large lounge, bathroom, kitchen and a double garage underneath the house - which is unusual for Ponsonby properties. The villa could be retained as a quality residential property or provide access to a potential development site."

Magill says that the block of four properties is in one of the most sought-after parts of Ponsonby.

"Nearby restaurants and shops include SPQR, Santos, the Ponsonby Pool Hall, the Ponsonby Food Court, a Cook the Books store across the road and Burger Fuel, all of which generate considerable foot traffic, day and night.

"The property sits at one of the busiest road junctions in Ponsonby with up to 15,000 vehicles passing every day." He said Ponsonby Rd property was very tightly held and seldom presented for sale.

"These properties have been owned by the Alders for decades, so this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Holmes believes high net worth individuals, either privately or jointly, and family trusts will see the value in the location. "Developers will also be interested in the potential for 130 Ponsonby Rd as a site for residential apartments and/or office space."