"He'd actually lived in the apartments for about three months just after they'd been finished in the mid-80s."
The family moved here in October 2005 when Kandace was 8 years old.
"We had a big old Onehunga villa, where Kandace was born, but were looking to downsize and looking at schooling. We had dinner with friends who lived in the apartments and they said, 'Hey, one of the townhouses is up for sale'."
"We loved the fact the townhouse was away from the main road with good privacy and security. It came with its own bit of backyard so we still have our bit of grass.
"People comment that it's quite deceptive in its size. It's actually got three levels and lots of angles. It's got an oversized stud and oversized doors and I think that gives it a lovely sense of spaciousness. So it's still a family home but it's got that lock-up-and-leave aspect."
Travel consultant Kristin says she's thankful the ease of living here freed up valuable time for them to enjoy as a family. Kandace attends school nearby.
After retiring from radio in 2009 Kevin took on the complex's part-time caretaker-gardener's role. "He loved it, loved being 'the pool boy' and dealing with all the tradesmen. It was very social."
The townhouse is behind the 12 apartments and the solar-heated swimming pool and tennis court they have use of. A single garage and single carport accompany another parking spot in front of the pillared entrance.
Off the entry foyer is a lounge with soaring ceilings, built-in cabinetry and a door to outside. The angular marble surround of its fireplace provided inspiration for renovations elsewhere in the home. A big door creates flow to the neighbouring dining room, which has French doors out to hedged grounds, including an alfresco dining area.
"Kevin loved dinner parties in here, holding forth from the head of the table," says Kristin, smilingly softly. "When we bought there was lounge, dining, separate kitchen and separate family room so we worked with an architect to create some flow." Now a marble feature underlines an opening linking the dining room and elegantly reinvented kitchen. Its double oven is flanked by a marble-topped bench with stool seating and woven stainless steel benchtops, offset by dark oak cabinetry and floors.
The kitchen is open-plan with the family room, which has a guest toilet, and laundry nearby. French doors open to a covered seating area the couple installed, defined from the manageable lawns by a planter box.
Upstairs, marble features again in the en suite off the sunny master bedroom with double wardrobe. It has views of Orakei with a peep of Rangitoto and shares a balcony with Kandace's bedroom. There's a family bathroom nearby. The third bedroom surprises by extending up into the third level, for an ideal loft retreat.
Kristin and Kandace have fond memories of Kevin's particularly festive birthday here with a crowd of well-wishers three years ago. They drank 43 bottles of French champagne he'd been presented with a couple of months before upon retiring after 43 years on radio.
