The first tour inside New Zealand's tallest apartment block is dizzying, overlooking the roof of the new $1 billion Commercial Bay, Shortland St's 40-level Vero Centre and the America's Cup course.
"You can see the entire race course from here, it doesn't matter what course they're on" explains Les Adcock,new general manager of the 57-level $300m apartment tower The Pacifica, speaking from its top residential floor on level 54 (the other floors are for services, plant and equipment).
Liz Scott, general manager of developer Hengyi New Zealand, said about 600 people would live in the tower which has 273 units of which all but around 20 are pre-sold.
Residents get free use of a seventh-level gym overlooking the city, inground 20m pool open to the north, spa, steam room and sauna which Adcock says has walls lined with 137-year-old Canadian oak.
Level 25 has a free library area, 18-seat cinema and private dining/meeting area. The library doubles as a fire refuge area mid-way in the building. Back-up generators would be used if a city-wide power outage struck, Scott said. That would enable many services to continue.
To use any of the 141 car parks in the six above-ground lower levels, residents will download new application My Pacifica and book their vehicles in or out. Turning ramps between floors are replaced by car elevator lifts operated by staff.
Residents will this month begin moving into the tower. Scott said the sale of the super penthouse could exceed records and go for around $40m.
Top new view in town from The Pacifica. Photo / Michael Craig
The tower has the fastest elevators of any New Zealand apartment building, travelling at 6m or two floors per second.
Dan Ashby headed the project by Icon Construction which built the tower in just three years.
Scott said titles were issued towards the end of November "and code compliance was issued shortly afterwards. Icon achieved practical completion last Thursday. People who bought earlier have done very well," she said of some possible pre-sales.
However, Hengyi would not be involved in those because it was a transaction between the apartment vendor and buyer.
Commerce St reception, lined with Italian granite. Photo / Michael Craig
Vehicles will drive in off Gore St and be met by staff who will drive them into one of two-vehicle elevators. The My Pacifica application handles all aspects of the tower's functioning including parking, vehicle delivery to leave via Commerce St, parcel deliveries and use of the cinema.
Vehicle recharging stations are available for 42 cars and more than 200 spaces for bikes is available.
The gym has a ballet bar, weight studio and the level seven outdoor terrace has two barbecues, dining space, outdoor seating and a lounge area. Scott said interior design was by Katie Lockhart Studio.
All bathroom cabinets, wardrobes, kitchen and storage fixtures were made by East Tāmaki's Central Joinery.
Dizzying heights reflected in lift buttons. Photo / Michael Craig
One three-bedroom three-bathroom apartment pre-sold for $3.5m. It is around level 30 on the north-west corner, has an intercom so guests can be granted remote entry, cream carpet and some windows which open a few centimetres "but they shut automatically in high winds", Scott said.
It also has a "winter garden" or hard-floored area off the main lounge area where more casual outdoor furniture can be placed and for maximum sunlight at cooler times of the year.
Each floor is 650sq m and some floors have six apartments.
The public will only be able to enter the foyer where Scott said furniture had been made from kauri within the former Taspac Building on the site. A water feature, soft furnishing, reception desk and wall of greenery are also in the foyer.
