Close to the city action

15-17 Union Street, Auckland.

UNION & CO, 15-17 UNION ST, AUCKLAND CITY

1-3

1-2

0*

SIZE: 35sq m to 105sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: From $458,000.

BODY CORP FEES: From $3020 a year.

INSPECT: Display suite open 11am-5pm daily, 15-17 Union St.

ON THE WEB: unionco.co.nz

CONTACT: Hayley Sok, 021 132 8985, Rita Herceg, 021 066 9852, Barfoot & Thompson.

*Car parks may be bought by owners of 2 and 3 bed apartments.

Union & Co, will rise to 13 storeys and house 148 freehold apartments. It is now being sold off the plans.

"It is the Freemans Bay fringe but in the CBD; we refer to it as the Victoria Quarter," says Jamie Hutchens, Conrad Properties' group director. This is the seventh property development in Auckland by the company since 2013.

Hutchens says the Leuschke Group-designed apartment building will take the place of retail shops, perched on the ridgeline between Auckland's CBD and Freemans Bay.

"We anticipate the build will begin around August/September. It will be finished about 20 months later."

Prices start at $458,000 for a "Sky Residence" (like a studio apartment). For New Zealand residents, a 10 per cent deposit is required and the rest on completion.

"Union & Co is more for the discerning buyer who doesn't want to be in the hustle and bustle of the CBD but still wants to live centrally. We think it will attract families, based on its location to Freemans Bay Primary, about 200m away.

"This side of the city is changing enormously," he says. "You are straight down into the workshops area with the cool bars and cafes; Sale St, and then you walk down the road into the Wynyard/Viaduct area."

Apartments are one to three bedrooms in various configurations, Hutchens says. Every apartment has a deck.

Image 1 of 4: City fringe living offers bustle without the hustle.

"Interior colours will be light natural tones. You can change the benchtop colour and get a different feel for your apartment to customise it.

"Car parks are extra and at this stage, subject to demand, they will be sold with the two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments."

There will be four street-front retail spaces on level one and car parking behind that. There is no basement. Level two, which is the courtyard level, is the first level of apartments. Shared facilities include the gym and heated 14m pool, which open to the courtyard.

The reinforced concrete structure will have a ventilated cavity aluminium cladded system. Two lifts service the 13 floors.

Hutchens says under the current district plan the apartments' views are protected. "Union & Co sits up on the ridge, you end up with the most stunning uninterrupted westerly outlook."