Tauranga’s crown jewel opens its doors

The future of Tauranga is taking shape now, but one development is ahead of the pack.

A new way of living has arrived in Tauranga. Elizabeth Towers promises to ‘wow’ residents and locals alike with her one-of-a-kind residential offering never seen in Tauranga before. At the same time, the development is set to supercharge the city’s billion-dollar overhaul and give further confidence to development throughout the city.

Tauranga is in the middle of a total overhaul to the tune of $2 billion over the next 10 years, with street upgrades, wharf and waterfront redevelopments, and a one-way traffic system pilot programme underway.

Investors and stakeholders hope this investment will transform the city by bringing people back into the heart of Tauranga.

While construction is underway in almost every corner of the city, one project is ready to open its doors. Previously described as the “crown jewel” of Tauranga’s redevelopment, Elizabeth Towers is the first of its kind in Tauranga and arguably anywhere in New Zealand. The building will be home to more than 200 people across 96 apartments and 23 villas. Beneath the apartment towers, a multi-million-dollar retail and hospitality podium will breathe new life into the city’s shopping and dining offerings.

“Elizabeth Towers is unique in terms of its positioning and the amenities it offers,” says Bayleys Bay of Plenty general manager Jon O’Connor. “Anchored at the top of Tauranga’s CBD, the building has a wonderful sense of elevation over the water. It has been designed so the people who live there have easy access to everything in the wider CBD, which will only become better as the citywide redevelopment continues.”

Developed by Elizabeth Properties Ltd, part of the James Pascoe Group, Elizabeth Towers is located at the intersection of Devonport Road and Elizabeth Street and is the first major investment from the private sector in the CBD for many years. Home to Farmers for over 50 years, the site is an iconic landmark on the Tauranga cityscape.

The James Pascoe Group saw potential to create a building that was one-of-a-kind in Tauranga while also contributing to the city’s transformation project.

“There’s been a concerted effort from council, the business community and residents to bring people back into the heart of the city,” says O’Connor. “Elizabeth Towers has given confidence to the council and city investment. Now that it’s completed and people are ready to move in, it will continue to give assertion to future developments.”

Elizabeth Towers looks and feels like it can hold its own on the world stage.

“The way of living in places like Sydney and Singapore really appealed to the developers. They saw an opportunity to invest in their company by building up the retail podium, adding some wining and dining options to it, and topping it off with a world-class residential offering. The result is quite simply a work of art which stands on its own in terms of design, style, and the lifestyle it will offer residents.”

The investment into the Elizabeth Towers is significant – over $200 million – and it shows. Over 5000 piles hammered deep into the ground and a world-class cladding system form the foundation of a retail and hospitality podium that’s home once again to a new-and-improved Farmers plus recently opened eatery Picnicka, among others. Atop the shops and restaurants are two towers that are home to 96 one, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including two penthouses and one grand penthouse. Each tower enjoys a unique outlook: the Blue Tower offers a birds-eye view of the inner harbour, across to Matapihi and beyond to Motiti Island, while the Green Tower overlooks the Waikerio Estuary and the Kaimai Ranges. Both take in spectacular views to the Mount and the Tauranga harbour; everywhere you turn there is a different vista.

“Often with apartments the view is off in the distance, but with this development it’s right there – it’s a part of the view it overlooks. Every apartment is flooded with natural light thanks to large balconies and enormous windows. There really isn’t much distinction between inside and out despite being high in the sky.”

Complementing the apartment towers are 23 beautifully appointed two-storey, two- and three-bedroom villas, each spilling out onto the exclusive Sky Garden. The 15-metre lap pool, spa, BBQ area, and state-of-the-art gym located within the Sky Garden offer convenient resort-style living on residents’ doorsteps. It’s here that residents will congregate, building a sense of community within the development and living a vibrant, luxurious, leisurely lifestyle right on their doorsteps.

“The Sky Garden is the heart of the development; this is where neighbours will meet, gather and celebrate together,” says O’Connor. “The residents’ lounge can be used for everything from casual weekend reclining through to formal events like birthday parties. There’s even a community garden where residents can grow their own vegetables and share them with their neighbours.”

For anyone considering leaving Auckland and moving to the Bay of Plenty for a slower way of life, O’Connor says Elizabeth Towers provides an alternative option to Mt Maunganui.

“Traditionally when people have wanted to swap the chaos of Auckland living for a more relaxed lifestyle, they’ve chosen The Mount or Papamoa for that classic beachy feel. Elizabeth Towers offers people the best of both worlds: urban living and all the convenience the city offers, as well as easy access to the beach and phenomenal views.

“Elizabeth Towers is just 10 minutes from the airport and not much further to Mt Maunganui main beach, and with easy access to all main arterial routes it’s easy to get to from just about anywhere. As the city is revitalised in the coming years, Elizabeth Towers will be perfectly positioned to maximise the best of the city and the beach.”

For prospective residents, there’s no time like the present; Elizabeth Towers is complete and ready to move into.

“Elizabeth Towers is complete and ready to move into. We invite buyers to come in, have a look around, and see, touch, smell even, what has been created in the flesh. Experience the views and wide-open spaces for yourselves and appreciate the exceptional care and attention to detail that has gone into each apartment and villa.

“Elizabeth Towers is open for business, and we’re excited to start showing it off.”