Relocating into the building, starting in November will be the New Zealand Herald, The Radio Network and NZME.'s digital operations, including the daily deal website Grab One.
Hain says approximately 1000 sq m on the ground floor will also be occupied by retail tenancies, leaving only the top three floors, encompassing a net lettable area of 9300 sq m, still available for lease. Because of the site's elevated position, these floors have expansive city and harbour views and also come with naming rights.
"There has been strong inquiry for this space which has heightened now that the building is fully glazed and nearing completion, giving prospective tenants a clear picture of what an impressive structure it is," Hain says.
"Construction is well ahead of schedule and floors will be available for fit out from June. A particularly striking feature is a giant 20 metre high lobby atrium which runs through the building, flooding it with natural light and providing a spectacular meeting place for tenants and visitors. The lobby also connects with a substantial and extensively landscaped public plaza area."
Each floor has an internal sky bridge through the atrium and the 2000 sq m of tenancy space on one side of this atrium also has its own smaller atrium to enhance natural light exposure. A floor to ceiling stud height of 3.1 metres, compared with 2.7 metres in a typical office floor, and the glass curtain exterior façade - will also increase light penetration into the building says Hain
"In addition, the building has been designed to a Five Green Star rating which means it will offer significant energy savings for tenants as well as constituting a healthy environment for staff to work in."
Each floor can accommodate upwards of 300 people. However, the building also offers options for smaller tenants as it has been designed in two parts enabling each floor to be split into two tenancies of 2000 sq m and 1100 sq m.
The building is Mansons TCLM's second biggest development after the Telecom campus, located directly across the road, and is the largest project the company has undertaken on a speculative basis without tenant pre-commitment.
Director Culum Manson says 151 Victoria St has been designed in response to feedback from prospective tenants about the type of accommodation they want. "It's all about efficiency, both in space use and running costs. Companies like having staff located on fewer, larger floors because it results in a more collegial and productive working environment. Bigger floor areas also mean less wasted space which reduces operating expenses," Manson says.
"High quality and healthy building services - like increased fresh air delivery through air conditioning systems and high levels of natural light penetration to working and amenity areas - are also important and we focus on providing this with our buildings."
Mansons TCLM has been the most active developer of new office buildings in the Auckland in recent years, with all of its projects self-funded. "We foresaw an impending shortage of efficient green-star rated buildings capable of accommodating large tenants and were sufficiently confident of demand for this type of space to be comfortable about undertaking developments without substantial recommitment from tenants," says Manson.
Other recent central Auckland projects have included the Watercare Services building at 73 Remuera Road, Newmarket, the GHD Building at 27 Napier Street, alongside the State Highway One motorway, and Oracle House at 162 Victoria Street West.
