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Core City Group is constructing a new four-level office and retail building at 119 Great North Rd that is expected to provide further impetus for the redevelopment of the Grey Lynn city fringe commercial area.
The building, which has been designed by Warren & Mahoney to make the most of its city and harbour views, is also looking to capitalise on the tenant demand for green buildings.
Hossain Reyhani, managing director of Core City, which is undertaking the development, says he is aiming for a five-star green rating.
Reyhani says the environmental focus has begun at the demolition stage, with the recycling of materials from the two 40-year old buildings which previously occupied the site. One housed the Mai FM radio station for 20 years and the other contained a manufacturing operation owned by the Eichmann family.
"Recovered steel from the site has been sold to metal merchants, while concrete has been converted to stone chip and used as a base material for the building's foundations. Large wooden laminated beams have been removed and we understand these are being shipped to the Pacific Islands."
A novel green feature of the new building will be the elevator to the upper floors which will generate electricity for the building's common areas as it descends.
Rainwater from the roof will be collected and used to flush toilets in the bathrooms, and solar panels will heat water, also for use in the amenities areas. Black piping will be used as well to facilitate the solar heating of water that passes through it.
Other green features of the building include energy-efficient lighting, double glazing and extensive use of floor-to-ceiling glazing to maximise natural light to the building.
"We expect the green rating of the building to be a big attraction for potential tenants because it will result in lower operating expenses than is normally incurred within a building of this size," Reyhani says.
The extensive glazing will also enhance the views provided by the site's location at the top of a ridge.
"The building will have exceptional views on three sides," Reyhani says. "There will be harbour views out to the north and towards Ponsonby; to the south will be Mt Eden and to the east, the Sky Tower and CBD."
To make the most of the views for the benefit of its occupants, the building will feature a large 344 sq m terrace area on the top floor and four 53 sq m balconies on the office floors below.
The ground floor of the new building will comprise a street-level 550 sq m retail area capable of accommodating up to six retail tenancies.
The two levels of office above each contain 1375 sq m of air conditioned and carpeted office space, plus their balconies, and the top level has 1045 sq m of space in addition to its large terrace area. The basement levels will contain 170 secure and undercover car parks.
Bayleys Real Estate's Clint Barber, who sold the site to Core City and is handling the leasing of the building with colleague Andre Siegert, says the Ponsonby end of Great North Rd is just starting to be recognised as an area with considerable potential for redevelopment.
Traditionally, the area has been home to a number of older-style buildings which house a mixture of commercial and industrial users, as well as car yards.
But it is undergoing a revitalisation with at least four other substantial projects on the books involving new buildings or refurbishments of existing buildings, the largest of which will be the Soho mixed-use redevelopment on the old vinegar factory site.
"It is handy to the Northern, Southern and Northwestern Motorways and a short distance from Auckland's central business district. It also borders the popular Ponsonby Rd dining and entertainment district and is a short distance from Western Park, gyms, fitness centres and other recreational facilities."
Barber says Core City's development will set a new quality benchmark for office buildings in the area and with its prominent corner site position fronting Great North Rd and Mackelvie St, near the intersection of Ponsonby Rd and Karangahape Rd.
He says naming rights for the building have not yet been taken and a signature tenant will have exposure to 10,000 vehicles a day travelling in each direction on Great North Rd.
Barber says the floor plates of the complex have been designed to provide maximum flexibility allowing occupation by one substantial tenant a floor, such as a government department or large business, or division into several smaller tenancies.
The building is expected to be completed by next September.
Architect and project manager is Bren Morrison and the artistic director is John Coop, both of Warren & Mahoney.
Core City Group is a boutique commercial property development company specialising in low rise retail and office developments with large floor areas and substantial car parking.
The company has more than 15 years of experience in the industry and is best known for two significant developments on the former Abels margarine site in Carlton Gore Rd, Newmarket.
The group's first major commercial building at 123 Carlton Gore Rd, comprising three levels of offices and one level of retail, was opened in 2000, with major tenants being Orica, Chemnet, Pharos and Sierra Cafe.
A second building comprising one retail level and three office levels totalling 4590sq m and 222 car parks was completed at 139 Carlton Gore Rd in 2004.
Major tenants in this building include Fujitsu and Connell Wagner.
"Every endeavour will be made to attract retail tenants to the new building at 119 Great North Rd that will provide services to the office tenants," Reyhani says, "like a café, hairdresser, dry cleaner or convenience store."
