Buyers are being offered the chance to add a new chapter to one of the North Shore’s most storied historic buildings.
The heritage-listed two-storey property for sale at 3 Victoria Road, Devonport, opened in 1908 as the township’s first purpose-built Post Office. It served that role for 30 years until the Post Office was moved to another now-historic building just up the road.
The property at 3 Victoria Road then served for half a century as the chambers of the former Devonport Borough Council, a trailblazing and at times radical player in New Zealand’s local government history.
Representing one of Auckland’s oldest suburbs, the council was the first to provide voting rights for women, establish a free library and initiate a comprehensive recycling programme, as well as being the first to declare its community nuclear-free.
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The Victoria Road premises housed the council through to 1989 when Devonport amalgamated with other local authorities into the North Shore City Council, and later Auckland Council.
This character town-centre building is now on the market for the first time in 110 years. It is being promoted as a “blank canvas”, fit for future uses such as hospitality, boutique retail, offices or accommodation.
The freehold land and buildings at 3 Victoria Road, Devonport, Auckland, are being marketed for sale with vacant possession through Michael Nees, Ranjan Unka and Jayson Hayde of Bayleys North Shore Commercial.
Sale is by deadline private treaty closing on Thursday 13 April, unless the site is sold prior.
Nees said the property consisted of an approximately 459-square metre building on some 468 square metres of freehold land, with plenty of street parking directly in front.
“The building is rich with character features and décor dating to the early 1900s. It has high ceilings and plenty of natural light and a versatile layout and configuration that lends itself to a variety of businesses and professional occupiers,” said Nees.
The site has a Category-A Auckland Council heritage listing, with a proposed plan change potentially changing this to Category B.
Unka said Town Centre zoning under the Auckland Unitary Plan opened the way for a multitude of potential uses, including commercial, leisure, residential, tourist, cultural, community and civic services.
“Being on the market for the first time in over a century, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to secure a trophy investment and write the next chapter in its unique history,” said Unka.
Bayleys North Shore Commercial General Manager Jayson Hayde said Devonport’s town centre boasted several examples of the successful repurposing of character buildings, such as the 1930s art deco former Post Office a short distance up the main street, which was sold through Bayleys last year.
Following an award-winning refurbishment, this heritage-listed property is now home to a café, restaurant, office and retail tenancies and apartments.
The historic Bank of New Zealand building next door to it has for years been home to popular English-themed pub The Patriot.
“As with those sites, the property for sale at 3 Victoria Road has prominent high-street frontage, offering excellent exposure to vehicle and foot traffic in a destination which is popular with both locals and tourists.
“It is superbly positioned among one of Auckland’s most vibrant concentrations of character premises, boutique shops, restaurants, cafes, galleries and museums, and within a short walk of playgrounds and golden sand beaches.
“Its location at the bottom of Victoria Road places it within a two-minute walk of the Devonport ferry terminal, and from there just a few minutes on the ferry to Auckland’s City Centre,” said Hayde.
- Article supplied by Bayleys
