The lodge and grounds at 1 Duke St, Papakura, are identified by a red border. Photo / Supplied
Two South Auckland properties owned by the Freemasons for more than half a century are for sale, offering options for owner-occupiers, add-value investors and developers.
Peter Migounoff, of Bayleys Papakura office, says the larger of the two, an 1100sq m building on a 2255sq m site at 1 Duke St, Papakura, is on the market for the first time since being built in the 1960s.
The other property — a 350sq m hall on a 1013sq m site, at 3 Detro St, Papatoetoe — has been owned and occupied by the Masons since the 1930s.
"The Freemasons will use the proceeds from the sale to combine the two lodges into a more modern building in central Manukau, possibly with retail premises on the ground floor to provide a long-term income source," Migounoff says.
"The lodges chose well when they picked these locations because they are both on large, high profile corner sites offering many options for their new owners. We have had interest in these premises from other owner-occupiers, because of their facilities which have been very well maintained by the Freemasons and include large meeting areas, dining areas and kitchens.
"They would be well-suited to church groups or a funeral business with the large sites also increasing their appeal because of the good car parking they provide. They have also been used as wedding venues."
Both sites are also zoned Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings making them valuable potential development sites as well, says Migounoff.
The zoning allows for the greatest density, height and scale of development of all the residential zones under the Auckland Unitary Plan and permits intensive multi-level, multi-dwelling housing complexes.
"The corner location of both properties increases their attraction for residential development, providing more natural light and better outlooks for residents," says Migounoff.
Both properties are for sale by tender closing at 4pm, Thursday April 11 at Bayleys Papakura office at 292 Great South Rd, unless sold prior to that date.
The main floor of the Duke St property in Papakura which Migounoff is marketing with Bayleys' colleague Piyush Kumar has three large meeting and dining rooms and a fully equipped commercial kitchen. There is also a large basement for storage, accessible by three tilt doors.
"The building could easily be reconfigured to suit a new occupier and the land comes with the added bonus of being in two titles which significantly enhances the flexibility of the property for a new owner," says Kumar.
"One title has the building on it and the other is a grassed under utilised section of land which provides overflow parking for the building, with sealed parking spaces also available at the front and side of the building."
Kumar says an owner-occupier or add value investor could therefore sell off the vacant land title or extend the existing building or redevelop that portion of the property.
"Or an owner-occupier that requires a lot of parking such as a funeral business could use this area for more paved parking."
Situated at the intersection of Wood St and Duke St, on the western periphery of the Papakura CBD, the property is opposite a recently constructed New World supermarket and is immediately surrounded by housing.
The Papatoetoe property is also in a residential neighbourhood with excellent road frontage to both Detro St and Coronation Rd. It is the first time the property has been on the market since a lodge was built on it nearly 90 years ago.
The north facing freehold site is a short walk away from the main street of Papatoetoe, handy to a supermarket, shops and the Papatoetoe Transport Hub, with trains and bus services, and also with easy access to SH1 and SH20.
All of this makes it a good prospect for residential development for use as community facility, says Bayleys' Tony Chaudhary who is marketing this property with Migounoff and Kumar.
"The existing building has a character-filled, beautifully maintained meeting room and a separate dining and kitchen facility."