An artist's impression of the new Albany office and retail complex at 55 Corinthian Drive. Photo / Supplied
An artist's impression of the new Albany office and retail complex at 55 Corinthian Drive. Photo / Supplied
Tenants are being sought for still uncommitted space in a striking new Albany office and retail complex now under construction on a high-profile site in the Orchard Business Park.
The building will encompass three upper levels of A-grade office accommodation over ground floor retail, showroom and possibly more office space. It will also have 278 carparks, the bulk of which will located in an adjoining five-level parking building with a transparent circular vehicle ramp.
"It is scheduled for completion late 2018 and will be one of the most visually stunning buildings on the North Shore," says Dean Gilbert-Smith of Bayleys North Shore Commercial. He and colleague Eddie Zhong, have been appointed joint agents for the leasing of 55 Corinthian Drive in conjunction with Janet Marshall and Ellie Martin of Colliers International.
Gilbert-Smith says a bank tenant has already been secured for the top level and has naming rights for the four-level building that will arise on a 7864sq m site running alongside the State Highway 1 northern motorway.
"Standout architectural features will include a light filled atrium, a cantilevered retail area and bridges connecting the office floors with the equally impressive, spiral parking complex," he says. "It's a building that will catch the eyes of high volumes of motorists heading north along the motorway and will offer tenants a high level of exposure."
Gilbert-Smith says a tenant or tenants are sought for the two remaining upper office floors which each provide1550sq m of clear span space. "These levels would suit businesses looking for large, efficient floor areas that provide an open collegial working environment with plenty of natural light, or alternatively they could easily be split into two tenancies."
Zhong who is handling the leasing of the ground floor retail space says resource consent has been granted for around 450sq m of medical-related tenancies and an experienced food and beverage operator is also being sought.
"These retailers will not only service other occupants of the building, but the also the growing workforce and residential population within Orchard Park and the surrounding Albany area," he says.
The retail, office and showroom building will be linked to a parking building next door. Photo / Supplied
Lawrance Yu, managing director of developer APEC Property Development Ltd, says the building has been designed to the quality and specification standards of a new CBD office complex.
"We have set out to develop one of the best, most attractive commercial buildings on the North Shore and have appointed a widely-experienced team of professional consultants and contractors to enable us to achieve the best possible result we can for the project."
Ignite Architects is the lead designer with MacRennie Commercial Construction, which has over 30 years' experience in large-scale projects across Auckland, the head contractor. Engineering services are being provided by Stephen Mitchell Engineers Ltd, Riley Consultants Ltd and Thurston Consulting Ltd with Soil and Rock Ltd providing geotechnical and environmental advice.
"We wanted to create a building with a 'wow factor' that will be a great place to work in," says Yu. "We are targeting both a design and built Five-Green-Star rating so it will be one of the most environmentally advanced buildings on the Shore, incorporating high levels of natural light, fresh air and natural materials.
"A key design feature of the building will be a large light-filled central atrium that will link the retail and office space with the parking building which will be a design statement in itself. Its transparent facade, comprising a perforated metal screen with a natural timber cladding on the outside, will allow the circular car park access ramp to be seen and also provide natural ventilation."
The ramp will be accessed at the eastern end of the carpark building which has zig-zag shaped pedestrian bridges linking through to each floor of the office tenancies.
Marshall says the large amount of car parking available both within this building and in the property's landscaped grounds will be popular with prospective tenants and provide one of the best car parking ratios on the North Shore.
The 12ha Orchard Park precinct is expected to be fully developed within the next two to three years and 55 Corinthian Drive is close to two other recently completed office complexes: Mitre 10 New Zealand's new national support centre into which 250 staff moved into earlier this year; and the multinational Olympus New Zealand's head office building.
Zhong says Orchard Park is proving popular with tenants because of its closeness to the Westfield Shopping Centre and the neighbouring Albany Mega Centre, easy accessibility to and from the motorway and the excellent nearby public transport.
