Above the city's buzz in Auckland

The Dilworth Penthouse, 8B/22-32 Queen Street, Auckland City. Photo / Ted Baghurst

DILWORTH BUILDING PENTHOUSE APARTMENT 8B/22-32 QUEEN ST

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SIZE: 191sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Apartment $995,000. Option to lease or purchase freehold carpark (CV $70,000) in Commerce St. Body corporate fees $5925.68+GST annually, plus $200+GST body corp admin fee.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 11.30am-12.15pm.

ON THE WEB: rwmtedenvillage.co.nz/EDN20850

CONTACT: Graham Scherer, ph 021 118 0160 and Monique Tse, ph 021 655 677, Ray White Mt Eden.

FEATURES: reehold penthouse apartment on eighth floor of Queen St's heritage Dilworth Building. Two bedrooms, central kitchen and large living area with lounge, dining and family space is ideal for entertaining and includes hideaway pull-down double bed for guests. European-style outdoor terrace features Hinuera stone tiles and overlooks city and harbour.

Ask Christine Milicich what she likes about her penthouse apartment in Queen St's landmark Dilworth building and her answer is simple and succinct: "It is the best of the best."

Christine and her husband, Vern Pilkington, bought the elegant apartment four and a half years ago - not that they were looking to move at the time.

"My daughter and I had come to look at the open home one Sunday. Like a hobby really, I like to keep up with real estate," explains Christine.

Passing curiosity about the heritage building quickly turned into serious interest and Christine brought Vern to view the apartment on the Tuesday and they signed the ownership papers on the Wednesday.

"It was one of those moments. We weren't even aware we needed to move, it just felt right."

What felt right also worked out well for the couple selling the apartment as they went on to buy the Freemans Bay home Christine and Vern had lived in for 14 years.

"They were looking for a family home and we were looking for a mature lifestyle rather than a family lifestyle."

What drew Christine in so much on that fateful Sunday were the distinctive apartment's character and spaciousness, plus the central position on the corner of Queen and Customs streets. "If you are going to live in the city, you may as well be right in the centre and not tucked away. It is in the main street of New Zealand's largest city; that is appealing. You have the sea view and you're central, plus you are elevated."

Christine and Vern's apartment is on the eighth floor, with the tiles in the lobby extending into the apartment's entry foyer where an artist's sketch of the layout of the William Henry Gummer-designed Dilworth Building is displayed. From here, one step up to the left takes you to the main living space and kitchen, or turn right and step up to the hall leading to the two bedrooms and bathrooms.

The pillared living space and both bedrooms have French doors opening to the large recessed terrace, all 53sq m of it, with its handsome Hinuera stone tiles, looking out to the Ferry Building, over the Cloud and the harbour.

Christine and Vern certainly have appreciated the large space of the living area and terrace.

"We have had dinner parties and large family Christmases. There's a very European feel out there."

While they enjoyed the buzz of inner-city living, they also appreciated having the soundproof glass and the terrace being recessed as both help to filter noise. "But noise really is not an issue because we wanted the energy of the city, like the sound of buskers on a Saturday or the Christmas parade. We've had friends from out of town come to stay. They love it; and if we were away on New Year's Eve, friends would come from the country to live in our penthouse in the city."

The couple are selling the apartment because they now live and work overseas. "This apartment is beautiful but it's not an investment property. It's more an urban home because of its size," says Christine.

It's time for new owners to enjoy and appreciate the apartment, she says. "We don't know where in the world we will end up. This is a new adventure in this stage of our lives and we're not ready to settle."