– Developer Mike Warren’s empty Parnell block is for sale after plans for luxury apartments stalled.
– The 564sqm site, bought for $3.675m, has resource consent for a three-apartment building.
– Ray White agents report interest in building a large house or two townhouses on the site.
An empty block in one of Auckland’s wealthiest suburbs has been listed for sale after the owner abandoned plans to build luxury homes.
Developer Mike Warren bought the 564sqm section at 44 St Georges Bay Road in 2019 for $3.675 million and engaged architects Monk Mackenzie to design a boutique apartment building at the site.
The development was launched with much fanfare at the height of the post-Covid housing boom.
OneRoof’s profile at the time highlighted its edgy design, comparing it to apartment projects in London and New York.
The property has an RV of $3.95m and is attracting developer interest. Photo / Supplied
Monk Mackenzie told OneRoof that the apartment building combined the ideas of “fineness” and “roughness”, with the ground level appearing robust, earthy, and tactile, and the upper levels shrouded in a fine lattice screen that would glow at night.
Each of the three apartments in the development would be awash with luxury features and fittings, including white-washed maple solid hardwood flooring, Taj Mahal natural stone benchtops in the kitchen, Gris de Sintra Stone and Ocean Black Travertine feature walls, and full-height wardrobes with a mix of glass and timber door fronts.
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However, the development never got off the ground, and in 2022, it hit the market for sale as a development opportunity. The price tag back then was $5m.
The property, which has an RV of $3.95m, failed to find a buyer, and last month, it was relisted with Ray White Remuera agents Eden Thomson and Kim Pausina.
Thomson told OneRoof that the block came with resource consent approval for a three-apartment boutique building, including earthwork and geo-tech reports, acoustic screening, and architectural concept plans.
“We’ve got all the documentation that shows all the hard work,” he said.
An artist’s impression of the boutique building’s interiors. Photo / Supplied
“Basically, we’ve got three strings to the bow on this one. We’ve got a bit of interest from buyers wanting to build a big, standalone three-level house. That seems to be the trend at the minute.
“At the same time, we’ve had developers inquire about doing a three-level apartment. We’ve also got people considering building two side-by-side three-storey townhouses, because it’s all about the view up there. It’s quite stunning. It’s going to come down to what someone wants to do.”
The site enjoys panoramic views across the Waitematā Harbour and Auckland city skyline. “We’ve got elevation photos from three metres, nine metres, and 12 metres. If I had the money, I’d be building a massive house there with three levels looking at that view. I think it’s fabulous.”
Thomson noted that the site was “surrounded by multimillion-dollar homes, so you’re in good company”. Recent sales of standalone homes on the street range from $2m to just under $5m.
Thomson said developers had been squeezed over the past few years, but the market was starting to show new signs of life. “Conditions have been tough, especially with interest rates on second-tier funding. Developers had been quiet for a while, but they’re coming back again.”
– 44 St Georges Bay Road, Parnell, Auckland, is for sale, deadline closing May 22
