Former church placed on the market

The land and building housing what was previously a Jehovah’s Witness church in a provincial town has been placed on the market.

The 2,023-square metre property in the Waikato town of Te Aroha contains a 310-square metre single-storey building.

The church was deemed surplus to requirements after the Te Aroha Jehova’s Witness congregation merged with its sister site in nearby Morrinsville several years ago. The land is zoned commercial under the Matamata Piako District Council plan.

The Te Aroha church building was constructed in the 1980s and has been substantially refurbished over the ensuing years to consistently maintain its profile to a high standard.

Now the property at 98 Centennial Avenue in Te Aroha is being marketed for sale at auction on 23rd June through Bayleys Hamilton.

Salesperson Josh Smith said the property would appeal to a diverse range of parties – from community organisations looking for a modern new premises underpinned by substantial parking, through to commercial property developers looking to make more efficient use of the current car parking space.

“The existing commercial land-use zoning would allow for a continuation of the most recent use of the property – a place of religious worship.

“The interior of the building comprises a naturally well-lit reception area with floor to ceiling windows, an open-plan main hall surrounded by smaller break-out rooms used for educational and administrative purposes, a kitchenette and food service area, and separate male/female bathrooms adjacent to the entry foyer.”

“There is fully functioning recessed lighting and speakers in the ceiling of the main hall floorplate, along with the mandatory emergency exit doors. Flooring throughout the building is a mix of either carpet or ceramic tiling to provide a hard-wearing yet comfortable and easily serviceable finish.”

“The rear of the site features a metaled car park facility capable of accommodating some 50-plus vehicles. Befitting its use as a place of worship until recently, the church has been meticulously maintained – both inside and out – and is in ‘turnkey’ state ready for re-occupation.”

“Thinking laterally, it could also be converted into something like a medical and healthcare services hub with a split tenancy profile of complimentary professional service providers. Again, the car parking amenity would easily sustain this type of use and the location is handily positioned on the main road into and out of the centre of town.”

“The interior is decorated in neutral tones and is air-conditioned throughout.”

Smith said that under a residential land use designation, the site could be subdivided to sustain several new homes – subject to council consent.

“That would leave the potential option of continuing the former church in a commercial entity or reformatting the building to become a substantial standalone residential dwelling with additional new homes built on the car parking portion of the existing site,” he said.

“The address sits in the middle of a residential suburb – with homes on three of its four boundaries, so it quite easy to envisage a conversion of the land into new dwellings.”

Centennial Avenue – also known as State Highway 26 – links the Te Aroha town centre with State Highway 2 to the north.

Latest property sales data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand show that residential median property values in the Matamata Piako District rose some 23.6 percent in the year to April 2022 – up from $635,000 in April 2022 to $785,000 in the same period this year. Te Aroha has a resident population of approximately 4,500 people.

- Article supplied by Bayleys