Historic Lower Hutt legal offices for sale

The Lower Hutt villa, used as legal premises for the past 26 years, dates back to 1907.

One of only a few New Zealand examples of moulded concrete brickwork buildings dating from the turn of the 20th century has been placed on the market for sale in Lower Hutt.

The concrete block Italianate-style bay villa at 64 Knights Rd originally dates back to 1907, with some structural modifications made following the 1942 Wairarapa earthquake.

The property is featured in Bayleys' latest Total Property magazine and is being sold with vacant possession by tender closing August 12 through Paul Cudby and Andrew Smith of Bayleys Wellington.

The Heritage New Zealand listing for this property classifies it as Category 2 and makes mention that it has links to renowned Arts and Crafts Movement architect, J.W. Chapman-Taylor.

He is purportedly responsible for the modifications made when the original parapets were compromised and removed in the 1940s. The property has a pitched rook with shiplapped weatherboard gable ends and exposed rafters under the beams - both Chapman-Taylor hallmarks.

In its 108-year history, it was a private residence for its first 43 years, a doctor's surgery from 1950-1989, and a legal premises for Grigg & le Page for the past 26 years.

With the current owners retiring from their legal practice, the well-known building in a popular part of Lower Hutt is expected to be sought-after by owner-operators seeking high-profile premises or by a prospective homeowner looking for character and history.

The property sits on the corner of Knights Road and Bloomfield Terrace on the fringe of Woburn - one of Hutt City's preferred residential suburbs and across the road from the rear boundary of Westfield Queensgate.

Cudby says that, although the property is zoned residential high density, it has existing use rights as commercial premises.

"The property functions extremely well as a commercial site as evidenced by its 65-year track record as medical rooms and most recently, legal chambers," he says.

"This longevity of commercial use along with the high car parking ratio and the general personality that the property has elevates it in the current market place."

The building, with a current rateable value of $500,000, has atotal floor area of 153 sq m, a three-car garage and six car parks in total on a 405 sq m site.