Endangered species in Onehunga

Pleasant Villa, at 177 Grey St, Onehunga. Photo / Ted Baghurst

PLEASANT VILLA 177 GREY ST ONEHUNGA

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SIZE: Land 751sq m, house approx 116sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: CV $590,000. Auction May 4 (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 2-2.30pm, except Easter holiday weekend.

ON THE WEB: barfoot.co.nz/452993

SCHOOL ZONES: Bailey Rd School, Royal Oak Intermediate School, Onehunga High School.

CONTACT: Digna Clark, Barfoot & Thompson Onehunga, ph 636 7079 or 021 534 462.

FEATURES: Landmark Gothic Revival home, with interesting features including striking clover-shaped window heads, character fireplaces and kauri floors. On generous fenced grounds with rear deck.

This architectural gem crafted by a bricklayer-builder reputed to have learnt his trade on the Tower of London is being sold by the organisation that has preserved it for the past 22 years.

The striking Gothic Revival home dates from around 1904 when bricklayer William Kemp crafted a small series of homes around Onehunga for his own use and for letting out. A prominent Catholic, he built Onehunga's Gothic Revival Church of the Assumption. He reflected his own Irish heritage in the clover-leaf shaped window heads in this home, which he named "Pleasant Villa".

Landmark Inc bought the property in 1989, wanting to preserve the architecturally significant building. The society was founded as a charitable organisation in 1972 by a group of 15 professionals including architects, engineers and valuers. They were concerned large-scale 1970s Auckland redevelopment could destroy as yet unrecognised historic buildings. Its first purchase was the historic brick former Ponsonby fire station/Grey Lynn Council chambers in Williamson Ave, which it sold last year.

Retired architect Warwick Smith, Landmark's secretary for the past 21 years, and his architect wife Judy proposed the organisation buy Pleasant Villa in 1989 following the death of its long-term owner. Warwick feels part of the home's beauty is its prominent position on a slight rise, chosen when Kemp would have had the pick of largely undeveloped land. "As well as having great heritage value, it is a real landmark - you look up Grey St and there it is."

Landmark has rented the fenced property with generous grounds to the same tenant for 22 years and has been diligent about maintaining the home and retaining its original features.

The property is situated on a corner before the road curves. Landmark president David Chandler likens the approach to the sense of arrival that's felt when driving up a manor's sweeping driveway.

The home itself is stuccoed brick, a rare domestic building material of the time as wood was so affordable and plentiful.

Its steeply peaked slate roof, ornate detailing and the clover design on the windows resemble something you'd find on a church or castle.

The return veranda is flanked by two gable ends. Above the windows on these are impressive shields of plaster and brick and the intertwining letters "NZI", thought to refer to the brick company that Kemp owned, New Zealand Industries.

The decorative clay tiles lining the veranda match others used on fireplace hearths inside.

The L-shaped hallway has polished kauri floors. The trefoil or three-leaf clover design features again in a decorative dado rail topping its lower tongue-and-grooved wainscot panelling. Upper walls have been restored to mimic their original design, with the plaster scored to imitate masonry.

Character fireplaces are abundant, with one on an angled wall in the front sitting room and another flanked by cupboards in the front bedroom, which is currently used as a lounge. There's another in the second bedroom - used as a dining room - and a fourth in the kitchen, which was remodelled some eight years ago and features timber cabinetry.

The rear master bedroom with good wardrobes is located next to a renovated bathroom.

An originally separate big stuccoed wash house (large enough to be a sleepout) is now joined to the main house via a timber walkway. Outside, there's a sun-drenched timber deck.

Pleasant Villa now enjoys council heritage protections plus an Historic Places Trust Category II classification. Selling it will enable Landmark to financially support other organisations which need help preserving heritage buildings.