You can't help but wonder what the Clark family would think if they could see New Lynn today.
Back in 1925 they moved their firm, the Amalgamated Brick and Pipe Company (which later included the Crown Lynn Potteries) from Hobsonville to New Lynn because of the potential the area offered.
The clay was better, there were more locals available to join the workforce and it was close to a rail siding. The pottery went on to become a local landmark, and its products dominated the crockery market in New Zealand for many years.
Today, New Lynn is a popular suburb that has seen an exciting resurgence recently. More and more people are continuing to realise what it has to offer (although its benefits today are somewhat different to what attracted the Clarks all those years ago), and choosing to make it their base.
And in the not-too-distant future, a few thousand more will be able to call the site of the former Crown Lynn factory their home.
The 12ha area, to be known as West Edge, is being developed by Auckland-based firm Avanda to provide around 1800 homes. The project is one of the biggest single designer-planned developments in Auckland, making it comparable to the likes of Hobsonville Point, Stonefields and Millwater.
One of the big bonuses of West Edge is its location, just minutes from great shopping, dining and transport facilities. There are also plenty of other amenities, such as a library, medical services and fitness centres. Project manager Winson Tan says: "It will feel like city living, but you're at the edge of the city. It is such a good location with LynnMall, the train station, the bus terminal and also a golf course nearby. There are also good schools. There is so much within walking distance, and now the council is also planning to build a park adjacent to our development."
Image 1 of 4: The former Crown Lynn factory site is set to transform into a housing development. Artists illustrations / Supplied
LynnMall is a particularly popular drawcard. It was the first American-style shopping mall in Auckland when it opened in 1963 and went on to achieve several other firsts, including being the first air-conditioned mall, first to open on Sundays, and first to be smoke-free. It was expanded in 1999.
Meanwhile, the New Lynn rail interchange was recently upgraded, so the new electric trains link with local bus services. Plus there will be easy access to the north-western motorway extension, due for completion in 2017.
The designers wanted West Edge to have a strong community feel, as well as plenty of character. There will be wide, tree-lined streets and a manmade lake in an area to be known as Edge Central. The dwellings will be contemporary duplex and terraced housing along with a handful of mid-rise apartment blocks, and there will be street-level retail spaces.
The first properties available to buy are 88 townhouses. The freehold properties will have either two or three bedrooms, and one or two bathrooms depending on the configurations. Each townhouse will have a balcony and off-street parking -- either a single car garage or a carport.
They will be sold with chattels, including a dishwasher, stove, washing machine and heat pumps.
Winson says townhouses will be ready for occupation early in 2017. The development is being rolled out over around six or seven years.
West Edge has been designated a Special Housing Area, which means at least 10 per cent of its dwellings must be affordable houses suitable for first-time buyers.
People wanting a West Edge home need to register their interest via the West Edge website. There is a display suite in Rankin St, open 10am to 3pm daily.
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