The Arcade is a boutique retail and office block at 5-15 Victoria Rd. Photo / Supplied
The Arcade is a boutique retail and office block at 5-15 Victoria Rd. Photo / Supplied
Devonport is known for maritime history, waterfront walks and colonial charm, yet its full potential is only now becoming apparent, according to NAI Harcourt's agents Isaac Tankard and Nick Young.
Tankard and Young are marketing leases in The Arcade, a boutique block at 5-15 Victoria Rd and say securing one of these would be an excellent move, considering the latest growth forecasts for Devonport.
Young says The Arcade has four offices a cafe and nine retail shops, each with its own toilet facilities. Of these, one of the offices and five of the retail spaces have yet to be let. Spaces for lease all have frontage onto The Arcade, which connects Victoria Rd and Wynyard St.
He says a feature of The Arcade is its central atrium which lets in an abundance of natural light from above.
"The Arcade has now been freshened up in order to look and feel more modern, while still retaining the historical atmosphere."
"Surrounding buildings are a mix of historical and new industrial styled ones, giving the area a unique feel and look," says Young.
The Arcade's atrium lets in abundant natural light. Photo / Supplied
"This favoured North Shore suburb has always attracted tourists, but this seems to be about to go exponential," says Tankard.
"Following Auckland Transport's redevelopment of the Devonport Wharf facilities, Devonport is a pleasant 20-minute ferry ride from Downtown, so it's even more enticing to thousands of overseas and national tourists. Devonport already hosts thousands of ferry passenger tourists each month and numbers are predicted to steadily rise leading up to 2020 America's Cup celebrations.
"There will be scores of additional shoppers with open wallets and Devonport Business Association manager, Toni van Tonder, is urging local business people to position themselves for the surge in foot traffic," says Tankard.
"It's already underway — the increase in spending among visitors between July 2016 and July 2017 was almost 22 per cent."
The agents point out that amenities like the library, Naval Museum, commercial offices, cafes and restaurants have been improved or added to in recent years. Quirky attractions include tunnels and harbour defences at North Head and the Devonport Folk Music Club, held in a bunker on Mount Victoria.
Devonport is one of the oldest suburbs in Auckland City. Photo / Supplied
"Many people just come to enjoy the wonderful old-world atmosphere, shopping and walks along King Edward Parade."
Tankard says the intensification happening in the heart of Auckland and the swell in apartment construction, already has CBD residents looking to Devonport as a favoured day trip destination.
"Visitors enjoy an easy village pace, original heritage buildings, boutique shops and relaxed, quality dining," he says.
"Devonport has a thriving arts scene and is home to the enormously popular GLOW event, New Zealand Sculpture on the Shore and the locally produced Devonport Arts Festival. There are over 25 public murals in and around the village, diverse galleries, a writers' centre and the oldest purpose-built cinema building in the Southern Hemisphere — The Vic Theatre," says Tankard.
"For those who get in now, Devonport represents a barely tapped goldmine for business and property opportunities, with a future that's going to be very bright."
