Few people would have any inkling an apartment of such proportions as this exists at 152C Quay St, enjoying commanding views over the Cloud and Shed 10, the harbour, Devonport and Rangitoto.
Kerrie Penny, who has owned the apartment for 11 years, says it was once the boardroom of the Auckland Harbour Board, and some features from its previous life are still intact -- the distinctive black kitchen, the chrome-effect ceiling, and the bathroom's chequered floor tiles and bath.
Over recent years the 16 floors of the concrete building have been converted to apartments and commercial premises.
But Kerrie's apartment is the one that stands out. At 355sq m (including decks) it stretches from side to side, front to back of the building. The front deck, too, facing the wharf -- the glass balustrades and push-aside bifold glass doors maximising the views -- runs the full width. The south, Britomart-facing deck is the cooler, sheltered side.
Both lifts in the building open straight to Kerrie's apartment. (Of course, only Kerrie has access to her floor.) You have a corridor here, with enough room for some of Kerrie's and her cycling buddies' bikes. Turning right is that 122sq m-plus living space, including the black kitchen (more on that later). Behind that is the laundry, storage and south deck.
The main, 46.2sq m bedroom is off to the left and enjoys harbour views. Then the second 30sq m bedroom, easily double the size of a standard bedroom, is on the Britomart side; as is the bathroom.
Kerrie says the apartment could be split into two apartments, as it is in two titles, or stay as one apartment using the luxury of so much space to create more bedrooms or to add an en suite to the master bedroom. It could also be converted to commercial spaces.
Image 1 of 3: Executive style home with a private lift and harbour views is at the centre of it all. Photos / Supplied
But back to that kitchen. Kerrie had planned to change the kitchen, or at least its colour.
"At first I hated the kitchen but I have come to like it. It is a great design, lots of pull-out drawers and shelves, a huge pantry and lots of storage. And black and white has come back into fashion.
"Plus, if you wanted to get a better kitchen, you would be looking at spending 30 grand."
And she loves the location.
"You can walk almost everywhere. It is close to the ferries for Devonport and Waiheke, and Britomart is on the door step."
She fishes off the wharf and is a keen cyclist.
"There are only three apartments now in the building, it's mostly commercial. On weekends I am often the sole occupier in the building.
"The big thing is the location and also there are not many freehold apartments like this on the waterfront."
Kerrie is moving because she has sold her Auckland business and bought a place in the Coromandel. She is keeping another city apartment she owns.
"Maybe a commercial developer will buy the apartment. It certainly would be a good look for a New Zealand based company to bring their overseas clients to.
"But maybe someone will fall in love with it, like I did."
