1 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:06,040 Speaker 1: Kielta. 2 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:08,959 Speaker 2: I'm Chelsea Daniels and this is the Front Page, a 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 2: daily podcast presented by the New Zealand Herald. Look around 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 2: Auckland and you'll see a spattering of planned, under development 5 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 2: or moth board building projects. The city's ever changing face 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 2: often dominates Auckland as conversations for good or oftentimes for bad. 7 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 2: So as we prepare to ride the five point five 8 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 2: billion dollar city rail link this year, what else should 9 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 2: we be excited about? Or are there more building sites 10 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 2: going quiet than we realize? 11 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: Today? 12 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 2: On the front Page, Zed Herald Property editor Ann Gibson 13 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 2: will take us through the highs and lows of construction 14 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 2: in Auckland. And today we're going to be talking about 15 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 2: the good, the bad, and the ugly in Auckland. Should 16 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 2: we start with the ugly and go backwards? So what 17 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 2: site has been desolate for the longest and what's happening 18 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: with it? So? 19 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: I think the longest abandoned car parking site site doesn't 20 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: have a building, and yet it's a very valuable central 21 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: city site would be the old Royal International Hotel site. 22 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: So that's between Albert Street, Elliott Street and Victoria Street, 23 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: and that has not had a building on it since 24 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: the nineteen eighties, so it was aproximately forty years and 25 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 1: when you consider Scott Pritchard from Pressinct Property is saying 26 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 1: to me many years ago something that's stuck in my head, 27 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: and you want the value of the land and the 28 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: city to be the greatest and have the maximum and 29 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: best use. A car park is not the maximum and 30 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: best use for the Royal International Hotel site, which is 31 00:01:54,200 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: owned by an overseas entity, and it's right beside by 32 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: the way the new ty hot A Tuesday, which is 33 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: about to open later this year when the city rather 34 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: than opens. 35 00:02:04,920 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 2: Right, what would be the best use for this site, 36 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:08,519 Speaker 2: because it's a prime location. 37 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: I would imagine the best use would be retail on 38 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:18,639 Speaker 1: the ground and lower levels retail bars, hospitality, definitely some 39 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: commercial component and maybe some residential component as well, so 40 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: maybe some apartments. I mean, it's very central in terms 41 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: of the CBG. It's right in the heart. 42 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:30,959 Speaker 2: It is kind of sad that we're excited on one 43 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 2: hand that something's actually happening there and then on the 44 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: other it's like, no, it's going to be a car park. 45 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: Carpoat long term. But yeah, it is very available, and 46 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: you know, we have talked before about the idea of 47 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: putting a higher rate on site that are abandoned that 48 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: have no development on them, to encourage the owners to 49 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: either sell to a party who might develop them, or 50 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: to develop them themselves. 51 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: Auckland is home to the country's largest new under construction 52 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 2: and single commercial office project. Tell me more about that. 53 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 1: So that's Manson's TCLM, the family business headquartered in Parnell. 54 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: And this is right opposite Enzme between Graham Street and 55 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: Harding Street. So it's thirty five Graham Street. It's the 56 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: premises of the former Auckland Council building and it's a 57 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 1: site that Manson's have got resource consent for an eleven 58 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 1: level building. Now there was about a three or four 59 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 1: level building on the site previously. Yaka Construction has demolished that, 60 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: much to the joy of the ENZME staff. Oh yeah, 61 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 1: I've heard about it. I've heard it, watch, watched and 62 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: heard with fascination. And so Manson's on spec. We don't 63 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: know of any preleasing that they've done. So again, very bold, 64 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: very audacious, very entrepreneurial company building offices. There worth substantial 65 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 1: numbers of car parks. Now there is talk as well 66 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:06,440 Speaker 1: as some residential or maybe hotel component. They have to 67 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: keep a building that was on the site, the old 68 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: Bja wallhouse, which has heritage value, so that's been retained, 69 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: and they're also keeping a beautiful mural which was on 70 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: the side, So we're going to see that. We see 71 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: construction going on there now, we should see that round 72 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 1: about twenty twenty eight, maybe twenty nine by the time 73 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: they've finished there. And the beauty of that site it 74 00:04:33,080 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: is extraordinary. It's on a ridge above Fanchul Street, so 75 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:43,440 Speaker 1: you've got a high position in the western precinct on 76 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: the edge of the CBD, but you've also got when 77 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: you go up, extraordinary views of beautiful views. 78 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, you can kind of see the water slightly now 79 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 2: that the old building has gone. Now who do I 80 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,800 Speaker 2: have to speak to? Do you reckon that they will 81 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 2: get some food food options down below? Very likely? 82 00:05:00,320 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: Yeah, extremely likely that there'll be I would have thought 83 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: likely that there would be some hospitality food offerings in there. 84 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,720 Speaker 1: I know the plans that I've seen last year when 85 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 1: were of a large central atrium. So Mansons are very 86 00:05:16,839 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: good at designing buildings that are very flexible. So we've 87 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 1: seen the new one building down and the wind you 88 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: had quarter from them, and it's essentially a two building 89 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: campus linked by a big atrium, and so the beauty 90 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,479 Speaker 1: of that. From a tenants perspective, you could take the 91 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: whole building, or from the owner's perspective, you can lease 92 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 1: to a number of tenants. So it'll be like that we. 93 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 2: Have to go check it out together, get a coffee 94 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 2: or something when it opens. Eventually we'll both still be here. 95 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:52,880 Speaker 3: If you look at some of the developments underway, they 96 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 3: are actually taking us to the sort of place people 97 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,160 Speaker 3: want to live in and are attracted to work in. 98 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:01,800 Speaker 3: One of the challenges we've got is it's all happening 99 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 3: too slow, and the MPs are too significant on some sectors. 100 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 3: So I think it's really highlighting the urgency and importance 101 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 3: of getting all of the various players working towards it. 102 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 2: So Auckland is now home also to the New Zealand's 103 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,000 Speaker 2: tallest student block. 104 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 1: It will be yes. Construction is taking place, so this 105 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:28,200 Speaker 1: is precinct properties. They're building a thirty two level student 106 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: accommodation block. It's on Queen Street and so it's beautifully 107 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: positioned in terms of aut Auckland University and what Precinct 108 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: Properties have done. It's quite extraordinary is they've morphed from 109 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 1: being a solely commercial developer into being a solely residential developer, 110 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 1: which is a big swerve considering it's got a listed 111 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: presence on the nz X and it's got shareholders and 112 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: investors to answer to. 113 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 2: Now. 114 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 1: Scott Pritchard, the head of it, has done a good 115 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: job of explaining the story, which is that assets the 116 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: company is looking at the market in a completely different way. 117 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: So the building apartments in Dominion Road, in Herne Bay, 118 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 1: Saint Mary's Bay, and a number of student accommodation blocks. 119 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 1: So what Scott says is that there is demand internationally 120 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: and nationally for really good, high quality student accommodation and 121 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: it's fit for purpose. It's got all the boils and 122 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: whistles in terms of facilities within the building that students 123 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: will want, and it's a really good long term prospect. 124 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: You get an operator in perhaps to manage the building. 125 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: And it's very interesting what Precinct have done. Somewhat surprising 126 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: really given the fact that they were one of the 127 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: largest developers and investors in commercial buildings. They still have 128 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,920 Speaker 1: that big presence, but in terms of their development platform. 129 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,000 Speaker 1: They're changing that to be residential. 130 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 2: It is kind of nice saying an established company take 131 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: a turn like that and really look towards the future 132 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 2: and be innovative though. 133 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 1: Okay, yes, and that's exactly what Scott Pritchard tells us 134 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: is the demand for good quality residential in Auckland, particularly 135 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: suburban is really important. But of course your next question 136 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: may be about the downtown Permenoa development, which Scott is 137 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: also doing, and that is phenomenal, fifty six levels. Now 138 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: it's got accommodation in it as well. That's on the 139 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: side of the old downtown car park. 140 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, and so tell me a little bit more about it. 141 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, So that's in the planning stages at this point. 142 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: So we're still able to park in the downtown car park. 143 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:47,559 Speaker 1: But Presinct Properties has bought that and it will demolish 144 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: it before the end of the year, Scott tells me. 145 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: And it will build these two very audacious towers. It's 146 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: like Commercial Bay Times two all over again, but with 147 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: hotel and with like community space at the bottom. What 148 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 1: they're going to do is super interesting is a link 149 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: into the atriums of the existing Eon building and others 150 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: which are on that Commercial Bay block down near the 151 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: waterfront and create this kind of like, man, how can 152 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: I explain it? It looks to me a bit like 153 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:25,959 Speaker 1: a forest inside. Yeah, it's very very beautiful, a place 154 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: that you'd be really drawn to light. We're all drawn 155 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,080 Speaker 1: to Commercial Bay, right, which is very good and they've 156 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 1: done they're really good at it. They've done a phenomenal 157 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 1: job of Commercial Bay and they've got, let's face at 158 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:39,240 Speaker 1: the top tenants in New Zealand. They've got ten thousand 159 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: people working on two blocks on downtown Auckland. So Pressinc. 160 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,840 Speaker 1: Properties has got the largest concentration of people in New 161 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: Zealand in their buildings, on their sites. And this is 162 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: really kind of the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle. 163 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: So where they're building this is right opposite the Tempered 164 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 1: Bars kind of on Fanchial Street, just as it comes 165 00:09:59,800 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: up from Laura Albert on the waterfront. 166 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 2: It is nice as well because they really do say, man, 167 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:09,480 Speaker 2: like I've read your conversations with Scott in particular as well. 168 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 2: It's nice to see a company and this is just 169 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 2: turning into a into a podcast opportunity for them, isn't it. 170 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 2: But it's nice to see a company actually think about 171 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 2: who's going to be using their spaces, you know, and 172 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:24,839 Speaker 2: not just chucking something up for the sake of it. 173 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 2: They're thinking about the students, They're thinking about office workers 174 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:29,719 Speaker 2: and where they might want to sit and eat their 175 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 2: sandwich at lunch. 176 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 1: You know, it's extraordinary. You know, Manson's and Precinct in 177 00:10:34,760 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 1: particular are outstanding in terms of green star buildings, facilities, 178 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: the way they're catering for people within their buildings. Yet 179 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,199 Speaker 1: to go with color, Mensine. I'm looking forward to it 180 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: through the new one building down in the Windard Cortern. 181 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 1: Now he tells me they have a golf course simulator 182 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 1: in there. 183 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 2: That's what we need. 184 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, every office is right, how much fun would that 185 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 1: being the lunch break? But phenomenal facilities, the way that 186 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 1: they're thinking of the future, the way that those two 187 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: companies in particular offer a level of amenity and sophistication. 188 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: The architects behind those designs, the interior architects, the landscape architects, 189 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 1: all the people that they work with. 190 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 2: You. 191 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've seen the new MC building 192 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 1: right beside us here. I have, Yeah, inside there, they've 193 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: got thousands of plants because the office workers said we 194 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: want plants, so they created mensense, created this kind of 195 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: perrarium within what is that three sixty Vanchuel Street, this 196 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:42,400 Speaker 1: building here, and so when you go to the reception 197 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 1: of the Crown previous Crown Law warrant firm previously known 198 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: as Meredith Connell, when you go to reception, it feels 199 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: like you're in the botanical gardens. 200 00:11:53,679 --> 00:11:56,280 Speaker 2: It's quite nice. Yeah, well, let's move on to something 201 00:11:56,320 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 2: not so quite nice. All right, So you've written that 202 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,200 Speaker 2: seascape is an easier words, perhaps the worst thing to 203 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 2: happen in our CBD in many years. Why is that? 204 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is so. Work there hasn't really been active 205 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 1: in any substantial way for nearly two years. So August 206 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four work stopped on Seascape. Now, that is 207 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: a fifty six level structure that is up. It's got 208 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: a tar crane that has got a boom on it, 209 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 1: that's raised. I was working at the angle the other 210 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:30,760 Speaker 1: day driving over the Harbor Bridge. I estimate it to 211 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: be a thirty degree angle. So that tar crane is 212 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,520 Speaker 1: a quarter of a kilometer up in the air. Now, Unfortunately, 213 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: people think it's a good idea at night to scale 214 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 1: that and hang off it with one hand and take 215 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 1: a photo for mum, which really I can't. I feel 216 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:52,959 Speaker 1: sick even seeing those words to you. So the receivers 217 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 1: of the business that was developing that Shundi customs, what 218 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: they have to do now is keep the site safe, 219 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: keep those daredevil crane climbers off the site. I'm sure 220 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,199 Speaker 1: they're not listening to us speak about this. We're not 221 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: encouraging any poor behavior, but they have to keep that 222 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:16,319 Speaker 1: site safe and they have to ensure that the public 223 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 1: is safe from falling materials. 224 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 2: Now. 225 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 1: I know one neighbor sent me photographs and on the 226 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: weekend sent me the correspondent with a correspondents with Auckland Council. 227 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: He's complaining that pieces of plaster are falling off that 228 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:33,719 Speaker 1: building and he lives very nearby. So look, I mean, 229 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: aside from having an empty building an Auckland of that height, 230 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 1: an unfinished building in Auckland of that height and a 231 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:45,079 Speaker 1: building where pieces of the building may be coming off 232 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: is really worrying. I've called it Auckland's first real ghost 233 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 1: tower as well, and that's what it is. 234 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, what can be done with it? What's going to 235 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,120 Speaker 2: be what's going to happen? Is it just a wait 236 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:56,559 Speaker 2: and see. 237 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: Three scenarios that I've worked out, and I think I'm 238 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,560 Speaker 1: right about this. The first one is that it stays 239 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: like it is very long term. That's a terrible scenario 240 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 1: for Auckland, although internationally a lot of cities do have 241 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 1: unfinished buildings in them. Second scenario is that the receivers 242 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: sell it to another party and that they perhaps come 243 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 1: in and finish it and people get to live, work, 244 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 1: whatever in it. The third scenario is that it needs 245 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: to be potentially deconstructed. Would cost tens of millions of 246 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: dollars are here, so that would mean the building would 247 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: be taken down floor by floor with that giant crane there. 248 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 1: If the owners of the giant crane continue to allow 249 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 1: it to stay there, I don't know, you know, really, 250 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: I really can't say what will happen. But those are 251 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 1: the three scenarios that I see as likely. 252 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,000 Speaker 2: Do we have any idea what's happening with the Old 253 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 2: New World at Vickstreet yet? Yes. 254 00:14:55,560 --> 00:14:58,640 Speaker 1: I talked to Food Stuff's Not Fund about that recently 255 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 1: and they said that they are preparing to apply for 256 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: the resource consents to rebuild a supermarket now they're not 257 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 1: proposing to put apartments on top, which is a bit 258 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 1: of a surprise, but that isn't what they do, right. 259 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: They build and own supermarkets which they then lease to 260 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:20,840 Speaker 1: owner operators. So what they're going to do is build 261 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 1: a supermarket. It sounds like it will be fairly much 262 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: similar to what had been there before. But from my 263 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 1: point of vary from looking at from the outside, what 264 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,080 Speaker 1: I'm hearing from a lot of the residents of Saint 265 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: Mary's Bay, College Hill, Ponsonby, Freeman's Bay, the CBG who 266 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: that is a very important supermarket for those people. They 267 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: feel very frustrated that it's been seven months and no 268 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: applications even for planning. So one of them came to 269 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: me and said, oh, it's the council's fault. They're obviously 270 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: halfing them up. I said, well, how do you know that. 271 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: Have you asked the council and the council hasn't received 272 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: an application, So let's hope get going soon. 273 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 2: Well, I hope so, because that was an incredible deli 274 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 2: section there. 275 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: Oh what about the seafood section and the wine section? 276 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 2: Right? 277 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,040 Speaker 4: I think one only has to go over to Sydney 278 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 4: and look at what they have done in central Sydney 279 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 4: to supercharge that city. 280 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 3: You know the. 281 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 4: Difference between Auckland and Sydney. When I were first went 282 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 4: to Sydney, you know, twenty five years ago you would 283 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 4: recognize where Auckland is now. Go to Sydney now and 284 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 4: have a look. They've supercharged a transport network, but they've 285 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 4: actually built a lot of attractions at the same time, 286 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 4: they've built the houses for people being. 287 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 2: You know what I haven't heard about for a while, 288 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 2: actually the Symphony Center. 289 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 1: Yes, the Symphony Center by Malaysian sid to be the 290 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 1: largest CBD trendsit orientated and apartment building. So this is 291 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: a building that is planned to rise beside the old 292 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: Tear Center. Yes, right, So Malaysian developers are buying the 293 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 1: site and had marketed properties there, but I hadn't heard 294 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 1: about it for a long time other so before talking 295 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 1: to you, I asked them what was going on now 296 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 1: they talked about They indicated to me that there may 297 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: be some redesign or some change in the plans. They 298 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:33,880 Speaker 1: got resource consent back and I think twenty twenty three 299 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: for their existing plans, so it'll be very interesting to 300 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:38,800 Speaker 1: see what they have planned. 301 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, fingers Cross, because that's a really and that's forgotten 302 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,400 Speaker 2: about part of part of Auckland and part of Queens Street, 303 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:44,920 Speaker 2: isn't it. Do you? 304 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: All those same Malaysians actually also are buying I hope 305 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 1: they soon have already bought it. Last year they hadn't 306 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 1: purchased it, but they are to buy Bledderslow House. Now 307 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: that's a council building right Bledislow Lane off Wellesley Street 308 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: going through to al Tear Center. Now, they were doing 309 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,720 Speaker 1: an extraordinary job doing that building up. That was a 310 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: big investment for them. So RCP were the consultants that 311 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: I was dealing with. They were managing that project for them, 312 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:20,280 Speaker 1: and it was a really big job and they were 313 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: taking the building back to what it had been in 314 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: terms of exterior cladding and look, and you know it's 315 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: an older building and it seemed to me that that 316 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:35,680 Speaker 1: had a lot of integrity and you know, with all 317 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,680 Speaker 1: that was being done there, I would think that that 318 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 1: would be quite a popular project. 319 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 2: What about the Saint James Theater, Well, the. 320 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: St James is really interesting. So that's Steve Bilby and 321 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 1: he's restoring that and the hope is there that this 322 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: theater will be reopened I went in there a couple 323 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,720 Speaker 1: of years ago and almost I was really concerned when 324 00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 1: I saw what was happening. 325 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:00,160 Speaker 2: I saw the photo. 326 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, so people were able to get into the site. 327 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 1: I think there had been a fire lit the floor 328 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:12,200 Speaker 1: between the seats and the stage, so where the stalls 329 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,959 Speaker 1: were that had been dug up, and Steve had imported 330 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 1: a base isolating facility, a large piece of engineering equipment 331 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:29,440 Speaker 1: that would allow the building to be seismically really strong. 332 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:33,400 Speaker 1: Now I think he's got a commitment of about fifteen 333 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,440 Speaker 1: million from the government and fifteen million from Auckland Council. 334 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: It's a substantial amount of public funding committed to it. 335 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:44,840 Speaker 1: I know that Chloe Swarbrock, the Auckland Central MP, is 336 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: really behind this and has been a great supporter. That's 337 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 1: been good to see. I honestly haven't been inside recently 338 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:57,360 Speaker 1: enough to see what's occurring there. But again, it's sort 339 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,400 Speaker 1: of like a really high hope that I have that 340 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: that would reopen, because you can't imagine Auckland with that 341 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 1: was civic theater, can you. That is such a key 342 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 1: part of who we are, and the beauty and the 343 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 1: grandeur and the wonderful restoration that was done there, So 344 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 1: let's hope the Saint James comes up and is really good. 345 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:21,159 Speaker 2: Hopefully. Well, lastly, you've been The Herald's property editor for 346 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 2: thirty years nearly now, and you know a journalist and 347 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:27,679 Speaker 2: interest in property for way longer than that. What I 348 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:30,160 Speaker 2: want to ask you is this is obviously an exciting 349 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 2: era because we're getting the city rail link and we're 350 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 2: getting a lot more life back into Auckland, CBD. Which 351 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: do you think has been the most exciting era for you? Oh? 352 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:44,879 Speaker 1: The most exciting era right here, right now now. And 353 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: I have to say to you, the NZICEC, the Convention Center, 354 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:52,080 Speaker 1: buy Scar City, what an absolute knockout. I had a 355 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: friend here from the States on Friday and I took 356 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:58,119 Speaker 1: them through and showed them, you know, the beautiful the 357 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:02,639 Speaker 1: Groyl Restaurant, the Horizon High Tell, the Convention Center, and 358 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: I just felt great pride in terms of the fact 359 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:07,679 Speaker 1: that I'm really fortunate in this job. People told me 360 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: a lot and I'm able to pass that on. It's 361 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:14,240 Speaker 1: a great privilege, it's a great honor, but also insid 362 00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: sc as a game changer for Auckland. I think bringing 363 00:21:17,840 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: thousands of people into the city to go to conferences 364 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: and conventions. That's pretty amazing. And even a guy in 365 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 1: a tourist shop in the area that I live in 366 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,399 Speaker 1: and Devenport on the weekend said to me, what was 367 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: that thing you told me about last year? Anne, I'm like, 368 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,159 Speaker 1: it's the trailing spouse. So you want the trailing spouse 369 00:21:35,200 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: to come and visit your tourist shop, so they're not 370 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: just the people at the conventions as the people who 371 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: they bring as well. And I do think that Fletcher 372 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 1: Construction and Scarcity have done a great job there. 373 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us and as always, pleasure. 374 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode. 375 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 2: Of the Front Page. You can read more about today's 376 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,840 Speaker 2: stories and extensive news coverage at in Herald dot co 377 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 2: dot nz. The Front Page is hosted and produced by 378 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 2: me Chelsea daniels Kine. Dicky is our studio operator, Richard Martin, 379 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 2: our producer and editor, and our executive producer is Jane Ye. 380 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 2: Follow the Front Page on the iheartapp or wherever you 381 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,679 Speaker 2: get your podcasts, and join us next time for another 382 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 2: look beyond the headlines.