Historic building a popular music venue

The Galatos venue centre and bar at 17 Galatos St, Newton. Photo / Supplied

The historic Newton building housing Galatos, a well-known Auckland live music venue, is up for sale with concept plans available for an upgrade.

Owned by the arts organisation MIC Toi Rerehiko, a charitable trust, the freehold, two-storey standalone 578sq m building, on a 350sq m site at 17 Galatos Street, is for sale by negotiation through Lisa Nielson, of Bayleys Auckland

The property was built in the early 1900s and was originally the lodge for the United Ancient Order of Druids. It was subsequently used as a dance venue and boutique function centre. In the dancing era, its native timber parquet floor was reputed to be "the fastest" among patrons of Auckland ballroom dancing clubs. It was also owned and used by the New Zealand All Golds Cosmopolitan Club as their clubrooms.

The modern day Galatos Bar and Venue was relaunched in 1999 as a live music venue and MIC bought the property in May 2005. MIC Toi Rerehiko is a non-profit interdisciplinary media-arts organisation. Nielson says a new owner has the opportunity to buy the land, building and the venue and bar identity. "This is a huge opportunity for someone else to rebrand the current business and the present owner is willing to help with any transition."

MIC has been used by entertainers ranging from DJs and band performances to film screenings, plays, conferences, corporate functions and film shoots.

Artists who have played at the property include Coldplay, the Foo Fighters, Diplo, Blackalicious, DJ Krush, Cody Chestnut, Freq Nasty, The Mars Volta, Stereophonics and the John Butler Trio and many local musicians who used the venue as a launching pad to greater fame.

The property has two levels plus a mezzanine floor added around 1912 and these are split into three areas with their own entrances but with linking stairways.

This building, when amalgamated into one venue, can accommodate a crowd capacity of 520. The property also has a 24-hour liquor licence.

The 185sq m Galatos Basement has a capacity of 100 people. It has a main floor with PA, DJ set-up and bar as well as a side VIP room with booth seats.

Nielson says the 298 sq m ground floor consists of a 5.9m high stud open space area with its polished solid wood parquet floors still intact. It fits 320 people and is often used for live bands, DJs, screenings, performances and product launches.

This space can easily house lighting rigs and screens and comes with its own in-house lighting and a motorised screen as well as PA and security systems. On this floor, there is also a walk-in chiller, bar facility, toilets and a small entry/reception, with a coat check area, at the front of the building.

The 95sq m mezzanine floor is largely open plan with a small office/storage room, a bar and toilets. It has a capacity of 80 people and, with its leather couches and gas fireplace, is regularly used for more intimate events.

Nielsen said the floor would lend itself to apartment conversion. The property is for sale with vacant possession.