CHANGING FACE OF MOUNT AS SKYLINE FILLS UP

THE diamond-shaped design of downtown Mount Maunganui's latest high-rise apartment building has been unveiled - and owners will begin moving in to The Pacific during May.
The scaffolding and wrapping has come off the $70 million, 11-level building opposite the Oceanside Twin Towers in Maunganui Rd.
The exterior is fully glazed and finished off with aluminium composite panels (alcopal) to make it watertight, and in the right light the 38.5m high building has a blue sheen.
The first four levels of one and two bedroom apartments, which will be mainly used for visitor accommodation, have been completed - and another two floors will be handed over by the builders Watts and Hughes Construction at the end of the month.
Developer Philip Lindsey said the building would be finished in the first week of May - a month ahead of schedule.
"The new owners will progressively move in from the second week of May," said Mr Lindsey, director of Auckland-based Lincon Pacific.
Lincon Pacific has sold 35 of the 68 luxury apartments, ranging in price from $375,000 for a 45 sq m hotel-styled room to $5.7 million for the 445 sq m top-floor penthouse.
Mr Lindsey said there were up to 12 prospective buyers waiting until the building was completed.
On the ground floor is a gymnasium, cafe and a 15m heated lap pool on the Hot Spot Apartments side. There is basement parking for 90 cars plus 26 spaces on the ground level.
Two motels, Oceans Sands and Mount Mews, were demolished late in 2007 to make way for The Pacific. With the new Eleven twin towers across the street, it will be the last apartment building established in the high-rise zone between Mauao and Mt Drury for some time because of the scarcity of land.
Mr Lindsey said the penthouse, with four bedrooms and a media room, had not been sold but two people were waiting to look at it.
Two smaller 285 sq m penthouses alongside on the 11th level were also unsold and selling for $2.75m.
Lincon Pacific sold $3.8m worth of apartments this year, and Mr Lindsey said "a bit more confidence had been returning to the investment market in the past two months. The Mount is still a desirable destination for holidays."
Nearly half of the Pacific apartments will go in to an accommodation pool and Lincon Pacific is already taking bookings - with the hotel rooms being let for $130 a night.