KEY POINTS:
DYNASTY GARDENS,
135 VINCENT ST,
AUCKLAND CITY.
A couple who were brought together by an historic English pub now have the delights of central Auckland on tap, thanks to their conveniently located apartment.
Nikki and Craig Wright met in Britain where Craig managed an ancient London pub. New Zealand-born Nikki worked there part-time during her OE. They lived on-site before moving together to several other old-world buildings, including Hampstead pub Ye Olde Swiss Cottage and a Mt Eden villa oozing character but little comfort.
Now married, they flipped from character to contemporary when they bought one of the modern two-bedroom apartments in the new central-Auckland building Dynasty Gardens several months ago. It's on tree-lined Vincent St, a couple of hundred metres up from the Aotea Centre.
"We absolutely love it here," says Nikki. "We still appreciate older buildings but they can have their down sides. We lived in one place where you could look down through holes around the skirting and see the ground. It was freezing and mouldy. Here it's so warm, everything is new and secure and the location is incredibly convenient. And when you close everything up at night to sleep it's surprisingly quiet."
They have purchased a basement car park but seldom need to drive during the week. Nikki walks to her Queen St job as an accounts administrator and Craig finds it easiest to bus to St Lukes, where he's a retail manager for Hannahs.
All 110 apartments in Dynasty Gardens' 12-storey concrete building have two bedrooms and are similar in size and layout to the Wrights' 44.7 sq m home. The building has secure entry, with two lifts from the lobby to all floors.
The Wrights' front door opens into a galley-style kitchen, where a granite benchtop and tiled floor complement the Fisher & Paykel stainless appliance package included in the apartments' purchase price.
A room to one side houses the tiled bathroom/laundry, which comes equipped with a washer and dryer.
At the opposite end of the apartment, sun pours through glass sliding doors from the private terrace, flooding the main living space. The apartment looks out over a quaint ivy-clad building, while some higher up have views to the Harbour Bridge.
The apartments share an outdoor heated pool, landscaped courtyard, gym and on-site manager.
As an added bonus, it's only a short stroll to the Wright's new favourite local, O'Carrolls Irish Bar in Vulcan Lane.
*Thirteen car parks remaining for approx $60,000 for units priced $290,000 and above.
SIZE: Apartments 41.4 sq m to 44.7 sq m, plus each has own terrace of approx 5 sq m to 8 sq m.
PRICE INDICATION: $250,000 to $305,000. Body corporate fees approx $2000 to $3000 pa, including water rates.
INSPECT: Mon to Fri 12-12.30pm; Sat/Sun 12-2pm.
ON THE WEB: www.open2view.com
or www.rwcityapartments.co.nz
CONTACT: Damian Piggin, Ray White City Apartments, ph 09 308 5554 bus, 021 828 583.
FEATURES: Freehold apartments in building with dedicated basement parks available to purchase. Nearly two-thirds of the 110 apartments have already sold. All are two bedrooms, east or west-facing, with own terraces and extra appliances contained in price including fridge/freezer, dishwasher and laundry washer/dryer. Heated pool, landscaped courtyard, gym and on-site manager.