Iconic Greenlane re-development site finally for sale

576-580 Great South Rd, Greenlane.

A high-profile re-development site in the Auckland suburb of Greenlane is on the market for sale after 37 years.

Marketed by sole agents Deborah Dowling and Brett Whalley, of CBRE, the 4683sq m freehold site and buildings, at 576-580 Great South Rd, are for sale by way of deadline private treaty, closing August 15, 2019, at 4pm, unless sold earlier.

Dowling says: "Owner-occupier Rod Milner Motors is a thriving family business that is now considered NZ's leading disability vehicle conversion and sales specialists.

"They have outgrown this property. Other occupiers on the site — tyre retailers Beaurepaires, plus temporary residential tenancies — are only on periodic terms, supplying holding income while the site waits for redevelopment.

"This property offers the purchaser significant potential, not only to generate income as is, but also re-development for commercial, residential, retail, medical, hotel, retirement, church, educational and many other uses."

The property occupies a number of freehold titles totalling 4683sq m at the junction of Great South Rd and Main Highway, locally known as the Harp of Erin intersection.

Auckland City Council's website says an average 44,753 cars pass the site every day.

The property has dual street frontage immediately south of the Z service station on Great South Rd.

It features two 1960s-era buildings, one occupied by Rod Milner Motors and the other by Beaurepaires.

Also on site is a workshop linked to a multi-level office building that fronts Main Highway.

The property also features a 1700sq m car yard that provides capacity for about 100 vehicles.

The Rod Milner component comprises a vehicle showroom, workshop, and office building. The upper levels are partially utilised as commercial office accommodation, with a residential apartment on the upper floor.

To the rear of the showrooms are two workshop areas, one used for fitting tyres and the other as a workshop.

Approached from the Main Highway, the multi-level building offers asphalt forecourt with several partially covered car parks at basement level.

Also, on the property, at 7 Main Rd, is a two storey house with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a double garage. Whalley says a notable feature of the site is that it extends through to Main Highway, offering dual street frontages and accesses.

"But it is the zoning that really tees up development potential here," he said.

"The property is zoned Business-Mixed Use under the Auckland Unitary Plan, which provides for generous options that allow for a wide variety of end uses.

"This block of land lies within the Southern Corridor, a place where extensive development has taken place during the last decade.

"Many of the car yard sites have been upgraded to showrooms occupied by franchise car dealerships, and to the south along Great South Rd is the extensive mid-rise Millennium Centre development.

"Greenlane is known for its leafy green streets and well-established housing. In the past few years we have seen many new residential developments and apartment blocks come into the area."