The buyers of an iconic heritage cottage dating back to the 1860s in Nelson will be stepping into the country’s colonial history.
Previous occupants of 10 Nile Street West include early immigrant workers, from cabinet makers to undertakers to drapers.
The two-storey, two-bedroom cottage is located in one of the country’s oldest preserved precincts and is zoned inner city fringe which means it has options as a home and income property.
For sale for offers over $1.3 million, the renovated cottage is one of a number of character cottages in what was known as Town Acre 456 and sits at the entranceway to historic South Street.
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Its first inhabitant was George Hooper, a cabinet-maker, and more recently it was home to a well-known pottery gallery and then an antiques/collectibles business.
Public signage says Hooper lived in the house with his family from 1866, and that later it was an undertaker’s premises.
A lot of the cottages in the area fell into disrepair but the signage says in the “strident” years of the 1980s a new generation fought for better protection of cultural and historical assets.
“Commercial development interests were buying up blocks for demolition, councils were negligent in recognising cultural values and South Street residents had to battle to save the houses from the bulldozers.”
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The cottages have since been lovingly restored. Around the corner in South Street, the cottages are residential but 12 Nile Street West has more options because of the zoning which enables people to both live there and run a business in what is a busy tourist part of town.
Bruce Batty, from Summit Real Estate, is marketing the property, saying it is over the road from the Rutherford Hotel where the conference centre is and where there are always lots of people exploring.
He used to live in an historic cottage in South Street and still owns one, saying living in the area is magical.
“I know the street very well. It’s just a very character street and it’s very close to the cathedral.
“You look up to the cathedral spire and you hear the bells on Sunday mornings. It’s an iconic, charming area.”
The two-bedroom property retains its 19th century charm. Photo / Supplied
The house in the city's heritage precinct is just 155sqm in size. Photo / Supplied
Buying the cottage would mean living in a part of Nelson which has been recognised by the Nelson City Council as a heritage precinct.
While the interiors of the cottages can be upgraded, there are rules which govern the exteriors in order for the character of the precinct to be maintained.
The current owners, who bought in 2017, instigated a “massive” renovation and refurbishment of the property which was architecturally designed and carried out according to the guidelines.
“All the properties have got heritage rating under the council, not the New Zealand historic places ratings but council heritage ratings,” says Batty.
“This is an A rating and there's a certain set of rules and guidelines as to what you can do and you certainly can't change the facades or the look from the street.”
The cottage still retains original features and where upgrades have been made the exterior character has been maintained.
Batty thinks the buyer will be someone who falls for the feel and ambience of the area, possibly an artisan or someone who wants to run a business.
The listing touts the house's suitability as tourist accommodation. Photo / Supplied
The tiny two-bedroom character home next door was put up for sale at the end of last year but was later withdrawn. Photo / Supplied
The South Street Gallery operated from the cottage for some decades, attracting artisans from around the Nelson area, he says.
“It was a real mecca for tourists buying gifts and local pottery and so forth.”
Batty has had wide-ranging interest in the property, including people from Auckland and others in the North Island with some looking at it for running a business from, or for use as accommodation.
Whoever buys will be getting a rare opportunity, he says, because the cottages are tightly-held.
The cottage has one bedroom upstairs and one down, both with ensuites. There is an office, a dining and lounge area, a kitchen with a separate alcove pantry, a laundry with a third toilet, a workshop/storeroom, and French doors which open to a deck and garden.
In November, the house next door at 12 Nile Street West was put on the market but agent Robin Goetzke from Ray White said the owner had decided to stay and the property was withdrawn.
A OneRoof article described the property as a storybook “gingerbread-style” cottage.
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