$2b+ Highbrook: Goodman expanding hub at NZ’s biggest business park

Multibillion-dollar NZX-listed landlord Goodman Property Trust is expanding its $2 billion-plus Highbrook business park after tenants said what they wanted near their workplaces.

More sheltered outdoor space, collaboration and meeting areas, good Wi-Fi and more dining choices dominated requests from the big-name tenants in the East Tāmaki area, home to 130 businesses which Goodman calls customers, in more than 80 buildings.

Evan Sanders, property services general manager, and Mike Gimblett, development general manager, at Highbrook. Photo / Jason Dorday

Development manager Mike Gimblett and property services general manager Evan Sanders took the Herald on a tour.

Beneath the 120-unit serviced apartment block Quest Highbrook, the new hub is rising.

Aspec won the contract to develop the $10m to $15m area, expanding the Highbrook Crossing.

Quest Highbrook (left) and BDO's building at Highbrook provide shelter for expansion of the Highbrook Crossing (centre). Photo / Jason Dorday

That is already a partly covered zone with food offerings around it.

But new landscaping and expansion will result in seating for around 80 outdoors and about 200 inside.

Goodman has a market capitalisation of $2.8b and Gimblett said Highbrook was now complete.

Highbrook has around 6000 people working at the East Tāmaki hub. Photo / Jason Dorday

It is the former Fisher land, owned by the family of Fisher & Paykel fame, where they had their Ra Ora horse stud, once visited by the late Queen Mother with Sir Woolf Fisher accompanying her.

Near Highbrook Crossing is the historic Fisher House, the family home.

“Highbrook is finished and we’re proud of what we have achieved,” Gimblett said from Goodman’s offices at 64 Highbrook Dr.

Goodman is upgrading Highbrook Crossing at East Tāmaki, adding retail and public amenities to New Zealand’s largest business park. Photo / Jason Dorday

Steel & Tube, NZ Post, DHL, Ford, Panasonic, Cottonsoft, BMW, Schneider Electric and OfficeMax are just some of the 130-plus tenants.

Sanders said DHL was the single largest occupier, with a 30,000sq m warehouse and 20,000sq m of enclosed canopy areas. That building is so large that it stretches an entire block.

Aspec won the contract to expand Highbrook Crossing (bottom left) at Highbrook business park. Photo / Jason Dorday

Many of the original tenants not only stayed but sought more space and some had expanded two to three times, Sanders said.

Quest Highbrook is a big success: 60 serviced apartments were initially built, but it proved so popular that it has been expanded to around 120 rooms now. Demand was high from Sundays until Thursdays, Gimblett said.

Goodman has a number of brownfields Auckland sites where development is under way or planned.

That includes a $500m business park and logistics hub on the former Villa Maria vineyard at Māngere. Earthworks are happening there now.

A tenant is also due to be announced soon for its fourth new building at the $250m Roma Rd warehouse estate on the ex-Foodstuffs North Island headquarters.

That 13.1ha site’s tenants include NZ Post, Signify and Cotton On.

Highbrook

• NZ’s biggest business park
• 18km from Auckland CBD
• Unprecedented in scale in NZ
• Built on ex-Fisher family land
• Site was once Ra Ora horse stud
• Owned by Goodman Property Trust
• More than 130 businesses with 6000 staff
• 109ha site beside Tāmaki River
• Highbrook Crossing is hub of park
• Has dining, serviced apartments, childcare, gym
• $10 m-$15 m expansion due to be done by November

Anne Gibson has been the Herald‘s property editor for 25 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.