Historic Akaroa waterfront building

The 136-year-old character building at 83 Beach Rd on Akaroa's waterfront. Photo / Supplied

A character building, originally built in 1882 on Akaroa's waterfront, is for sale for the first time in more than 25 years.

The property, at 83 Beach Rd, was fully refurbished in 2004, and now houses the Akaroa Cooking School and the reception area of the Akaroa Village Inn. Upstairs are two self-contained apartments, each with a balcony overlooking Akaroa Harbour.

The building area covers 408sq on a 688sq m site and has seven carparks, while total net passing income is about $83,000. It is scheduled for auction at 10am on October 25, unless sold earlier.

Colliers International investment sales broker Courtney Doig says properties in the seaside township are tightly held.

A mecca for tourists during summer, 92 cruise ships will weigh anchor in Akaroa Harbour this season bringing more than 200,000 passengers and crew.

"After a long-term tenure within the same family, they've decided to sell. The building is producing multiple steady income streams and there's plenty of potential. The interior spaces could be reconfigured and the rear storage area could be opened to the courtyard space behind the building," says Doig.

The property was built by James Garwood in the early 1880s. He also built the Hilltop Hotel and served briefly as Akaroa's mayor. Originally a general store, the building was also home to a local high school from 1883 to 1900 and later used as a community technical college, dairy, and motel. Its Commercial Banks Peninsula Zone allows for a range of activities.