A historic church just south of Auckland that was gloriously converted into a home and giftshop has been listed for sale.
The split-level Karaka Family Church, in Karaka, was bought by Rachael Buxton in 2007, and soon after she embarked on an extensive nine-month renovation and landscaping project – retaining as much as of Karaka Church’s original character and façade as possible.
The church was originally built at nearby Pokeno in 1890, and then painstakingly transported to its current location by a team of bullocks in 1917. A church hall was added to the rear of the property by dedicated volunteer parishioners in the 1950s.
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Over the ensuing decades the church hall hosted scores of community events and meetings, Brownies assemblies, Sunday school classes, and ballet lessons, as well as being used by children from the adjacent Karaka School. Karaka Church continued operating as a place of worship by both the Methodist and Presbyterian congregations until 2003 when it was sold into private ownership.
Ms Buxton's restoration and modernisation project saw the front of the church rebuilt, the roof replaced, the exposed cathedral-style ceiling beams taken back to their native state, the matai floors polished, and the residential component added to what was the hall.
Bayleys sales agent Peter Migounoff, who marketing the property along with Bayleys sales agent Stefni Baigent, said that the building’s 90sqm commercial space had housed a gift shop selling homewares and furnishings, but that it could easily be converted into a café, art gallery, or offices. "Under its current configuration, the commercial space has its own entry, kitchenette and bathroom,” Mr Migounoff said.
“Internal and external stairs connect the upper commercial level of the building to a 330 square metre three-bedroom/two-bathroom residence, which features three living areas and an open-plan kitchen."
“With some 110 square metres of wrap-around decking flowing onto flat landscaped and highly-manicured lawns and gardens, the lower level could easily accommodate wedding functions or large private gatherings."
Ms Baigent said the 420 square metres of church buildings sat on some 1,671 square metres of freehold land zoned residential 9F, which also encompassed car parking for up to 12 vehicles on a gravelled lot at the front of the property. She said substantial additional car parking was available on roadsides in close proximity to the property.
“The split-level nature of the premises means it could be purchased by an owner-operator wanting a work-from-home style arrangement, or by an investor who could either occupy the residential dwelling and let out the commercial space or let out both portions of the property to separate mixed-use tenancies,” she said.
“Alternatively, the property could be run solely as a high-end four-bedroom commercial accommodation venue with an owner living off-site.”
