City lights, fun and action

Lighthouse development, 442 Karangahape Road

442 KARANGAHAPE RD, AUCKLAND

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SIZE: Studios from 30sq m (plus 5sq m deck); one bed 45sq m (plus 5sq m deck); two bed 60sq m (plus two 5sq m decks) or 65sq m (plus 8sq m decks); two penthouses are 62sq m with decks of 30sq m and 50sq m.

ON OFFER: 29 studio, one or two bedroom apartments, including one penthouse and one sub-penthouse on K Rd with nearby shops, restaurants and bars. Handy for Queen St and the CBD, Ponsonby Rd, the University of Auckland, AUT, The Domain, Auckland Hospital, The Nelson St cycleway entrance and motorway on and off-ramps.

PRICE INDICATION: From $420,000 for a studio apartment to $1.265 million for a penthouse. Single car park available with each penthouse.

INSPECT: Display suite open daily from 1pm-2pm.

ON THE WEB: http://www.lighthousekrd.co.nz/

BODY CORP: $2433 to $6396 a year.

CONTACT: Jill Jackson and Emma John, Barfoot & Thompson, 021 745 424 (Jill) or 021 862 242 (Emma).

Back in the day, Karangahape Rd was the place to be. From the early 1900s through to the 1960s, it was Auckland's busiest shopping street, even more popular than Queen St.

According to some reports, by the 1950s it was so busy on late shopping nights that a central line had to be drawn down the pavement to control foot traffic, and police were stationed at the Pitt St intersection to stop the crowds nudging people out into the road.

All that changed after 1965 when the construction of motorways led to the demolition of homes and 50,000 people moved out of the area.

With them went many of the long-standing retailers, to be replaced in some cases by somewhat less salubrious businesses.

But times are changing again. Over the past couple of decades the area has undergone a renaissance and people are moving back to K Rd.

This time they're shifting into apartment blocks being built for residents who appreciate everything living in the city has to offer.

Lighthouse is one of the latest developments on the K Rd ridge. The boutique development with 29 apartments will be built on a coveted corner site that used to be home to Dick Smith Electronics, and will feature a distinctive facade that developer Mark Cooper hopes will make it an icon in the local landscape.

Image 1 of 4: A Karangahape Rd apartment block offers modernity and the city vibe.

"I think it will definitely stand out," he says of the arched steel framing on the front of the building that is an inverted tribute to the arched windows of the heritage Victorian building next door.

"K Rd is an area that has been coming of age for a long time, and people are realising just how much there is in the area," says Cooper, mentioning great local eateries, including Madame George and Coco's Cantina, just a matter of steps away.

"It's close to Queen St and Ponsonby Rd, but there is also so much in K Rd itself now."

Also handy are great galleries and bars. K Rd, once known for its fashion stores, looks like it could be reviving that part of its history with designers such as Adrian Hailwood opening their flagship stores there.

The new Countdown supermarket in Ponsonby is an easy walk away and there is also nearby access to the Nelson St cycleway.

There has been a lot of interest in Lighthouse, and nearly half the apartments have sold. Purchasers range from 20-somethings who love the vibe of the area to downsizing baby boomers after a quality apartment close to the city.

There has also been interest from people who need a bolt-hole in the city, and have worked out that owning an apartment makes better financial sense than paying rent.

"There has been a demand right across the board and because it is quite a small building compared to lots of others I think there will be a really good community feel," says Mark.

The building was given its name because introducing plenty of light into each apartment was a priority.

"Being on a corner site instead of sandwiched between two buildings means you can get so much more light," says Mark.

All apartments will have balconies and there's a penthouse and sub-penthouse, which are still available, that have a 30sq m and a 50sq m deck respectively.

In the apartments, architect Alister Kitchen of Leuschke Group Architects has used space cleverly, adding design features such as extra storage created by making the cupboards in the kitchen extend from floor to ceiling.

Light and airy, with a New York loft feel, the apartments will feature engineered timber floors in the living areas and bedrooms, and tiles in the bathrooms. All apartments come with a storage cupboard and bike rack in the basement, and the building will be pet-friendly.

Work is due to start on Lighthouse in March, and is expected to be completed within a year.