A chateau-like modern suburban office building constructed in a classical Georgian architectural style – complete with its own gardens, water feature and fountain out front – has been placed on the market.
The 764sq m building at 51 Apollo Drive on Auckland’s North Shore comprises a two-storey office bock with substantial car parking, suitable for redevelopment to accommodate new buildings, as well as an English-style garden courtyard surrounded by manicured shrubs and small trees.
By contrast, the imposing building is surrounded by glass and steel façade office blocks. Apollo Drive and the surrounding Constellation Drive and Rosedale Rd precincts combine to make up one of the North Shore’s biggest and newest commercial zones, featuring scores of offices and small warehouse-based tenancies.
Sitting on some 2617sq m of flat contoured freehold land zoned Business – General Business under the Auckland Council Plan, the rectangular-shaped property is now being marketed for sale by tender through Barfoot & Thompson Commercial, North Shore, closing on August 26.
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Barfoot & Thompson Commercial, North Shore, salespeople Paul Vermaak and Bruce Jiao said the property’s ground level contained some 360sq m of office and staff amenities such as a lunchroom and bathrooms, while the upper floor encompassed 404sq m of open plan office space and meeting rooms. The premises is being sold as vacant.
“In its current dual level format, the building could continue to sustain a single tenant format, or alternatively be converted into a split level tenancy configuration – utilising the grand entrance foyer as a ready-made reception area,” Vermaak said.
“The office space throughout has been consistently maintained to a high standard, and reflects a modern open plan working environment - with plenty of meeting room and private office floor plates, in addition to a high standard of staff amenities. It could be re-occupied ‘as is’ or easily refurbished to accommodate new tenancies.
“Alternatively, the property could be bought as the basis for a redevelopment opportunity subject to appropriate council consents. Currently, the street-fronting portion of the premises is utilised for car parking for up to 34 vehicles.
“An indicative architect’s plan for subdivision of the front portion of the property has been drawn up to show the potential for the construction of 15 new commercial units ranging in size from 63 to 96sq m and with car parking for two vehicles each. Such a configuration can be seen at nearby premises along Apollo Drive with a main building sitting at the rear of the property.
“Of course on that basis the front portion of the site could just as easily be reconfigured to sustain a smaller number of units but with bigger floor plates,” Vermaak said.
Jiao said a paved pathway encircled the front and sides of the existing commercial building, with a handful of wooden picnic style bench tables interspersed for use by staff during their lunch breaks.
“Under a development intensification lay-out, these areas could potentially be enhanced to create a communal area for the wider working population at the address – similar to what is being increasingly seen in Auckland CBD tower blocks, or part of the land could be allocated to creating new parking spaces for any tenant in the premises,” Jiao said.
Apollo Drive’s Business – General Business zoning provides for tenant business activities ranging from office and light industrial tenancies through to trade supply outlets.
Vermaak said 51 Apollo Drive – with its 40m street-frontage – stood out among the neighbourhood because of its classical architectural design style. Constructed in 2003, the building has concrete walls and flooring on concrete foundations.
“Georgian architecture at its roots represents many British buildings constructed between 1714 and 1830, and is named after the four British monarchs who reigned during the period. The style was revived in North America during the late 19th Century and then in the early 20th Century back in Great Britain when it was reclassified as Neo-Georgian architecture,” Vermaak said.
“The style – as seen at the building at 51 Apollo Drive – is marked by symmetry based on Greek and Roman designs of simplicity, regularity, and uniformity.”
- Article supplied by Barfoot & Thompson
