New industrial opportunity at Westgate

An industrial complex is among a range of developments about to take shape on Fred Taylor Dr, along the western side of the Westgate town centre. 

Q Group has acquired close to 8000sq m of land at 89 Fred Taylor Dr, near the corner of Northside Dr, which provides  access to the town centre.

The project  will comprise a mix of light industrial and office units. Q Group director Brendan Gray says the complex, designed by Taylored Studio, will incorporate a number of features not usually found in an industrial development. 

These will include  brightly coloured exteriors, with bespoke cladding around each unit’s office designed for its aspect and the sun’s path. North-facing units will have more solar shading while the cladding on south-facing units will let in more light. 

Complementary landscaping with green walls and built-in outdoor furniture will provide a welcoming  environment for clients and staff, says Gray.

“We will be undertaking a unique and distinctive high-end development designed on green principles rather than standard, run-of-the-mill industrial premises. 

“This will provide occupants with a point of difference in an increasingly more sophisticated commercial and industrial property sector.

“We will also be relocating our head office to the site, so we are committed to building a high quality product which showcases our development and construction skills.”

Established in 2005, Q Group has wide experience in commercial and industrial construction encompassing office buildings, industrial premises from warehouses to cool stores, and childcare centres.

It has been involved in a wide range of projects in northwest Auckland, including the SPCA’s new West Auckland facility in Hobsonville and substantial warehouse and office projects in the Hobsonville Workspace business park for companies such as Makita, Bidfood and Black Steel.

Q Group have also recently completed as a six-unit commercial and industrial development at Kawaka Pl, off Northside Dr at Westgate, anchored by the Dance Studio, and is about to start work on an adjoining development for the same client. 

The development at 89 Fred Taylor Dr will incorporate eight warehouse and office/showroom units sized from 500sq m to 1500sq m positioned on both sides of a central access way and parking area. Two standalone upper level office units at the rear of the site with views over the town centre are also available.

Bayleys’ Damian Stephen and Mark Preston have been appointed to market the units for sale or lease. 

“This modern, thoughtfully planned and architecturally designed complex will appeal to a broad spectrum of business operations which will have the option of tenanting or owning thes premises,” says Stephen. 

”The high specification units will offer a healthy mix of functional, clear-span high stud warehouse space, attractive open plan office and showroom spaces, along with facilities and amenities which will allow businesses to be self-contained.”

Preston says there will be flexibility to vary the ratio of warehouse to office/showroom space to suit occupiers’ requirements f before construction begins.  

Common features of the warehousing will be a minimum 8m stud height, concrete tilt slab walls, motorised roller doors with wide access for ease of vehicle movement, and canopies.

Adjoining the warehousing will be two levels of office and/or showroom space and amenities. Upper level offices will have sliding windows, and a 600mm gap between the glazing and the cladding is designed to accommodate plants and green walls. 

All units will have kitchen and bathroom amenities, LED lighting and a seismic rating of 100 per cent of New Building Standard (NBS).

 Preston says the complex comes with 61 basement carparks  and a further 33  parking spaces  outside the units. 

There will be signage/branding opportunities for all occupants, and the two road-front units would suit a business such as a product supplier looking for  showroom exposure from  passing traffic, says  Preston.  The property has over 80m of exposure to Fred Taylor Dr, a major arterial linking Massey and Kumeu. 

With Northside Dr— which flanks the northern side of the Westgate town centre — almost fully developed the focus for new development is moving around the corner to Fred Taylor Dr, Preston says.

At 43 Taylor Dr, Northbridge Properties, developers of the Interplex Business Park, has acquired around 6ha  of land in a sale negotiated by Damian Stephen and Michael Block of Bayleys North Shore commercial. A large-scale mixed-use development is planned, anchored by a childcare centre.  

Next door to that site, Tuners Car Auction is planning a substantial complex with construction scheduled to start later this year. Also accessed off Fred Taylor Dr will be New Zealand’s biggest Bunnings Warehouse. This 16,290sq m building is scheduled to open early next year. 

 

Stephen says given the massive commercial and residential development at Westgate, strong interest from both owner occupiers and investors, as well as tenants, is expected  at 89 Fred Taylor Dr.

“We are experiencing a lot of inquiry at present from businesses wanting to own their premises, particularly brand new units like these. 

“This is being driven by record low interest rates.  Investor interest is being driven by the  tight industrial supply conditions across Auckland, with vacancy rates at record low levels. 

“This means there is a strong likelihood that we will be able to find a tenant for their unit, often before construction has been completed, particularly in a growth location like Westgate.”