'Dad's place' picked to be a landmark

An artist's impression of The Stanley, which is named after the developer's father.

Kitchener Group founder David Henderson named his latest apartment and office project after his father.

But Stanley Henderson, a North Shore retiree, knew nothing of the tribute until he was invited to the party to launch the building at an Auckland hotel last month.

Kitchener executives said Henderson's father was moved by the acknowledgment from his developer son who has often referred to his humble background - having a fitter and turner father and a primary school teacher for a mother.

The Stanley, to be built on the corner of Albert St and Swanson St where the Angus Steak House now stands, will be a 27-level tower with offices and shops in the lower levels and apartments above.

But the $85 million proposal for the 1265 sq m corner site fronting St Patrick's Square and opposite the ANZ Tower is a scaled-back version of the project Henderson initially conceived.

More than a year ago, he proposed a 35-level tower with two vacant upper floors to reduce wind loadings on the tower.

But significant changes to the city's apartment market in the past 18 months resulted in Henderson withdrawing that application.

He has now reapplied for a much smaller tower on the site. Building work is due to start in October and finish in early 2008. Units of 215 sq m to 230 sq m are selling for $1.4 million to $3.2 million.

The Catholic Diocese of Auckland has approved the project - near its historic St Patrick's Cathedral - on two conditions. Kitchener must monitor groundwater levels and ground movement during construction and prepare a monitoring and contingency plan in case of any undue movement.

This is to avoid further cracking to the cathedral, which is undergoing a $12 million renovation.

Auckland City's urban design panel assessed The Stanley's design and said it would be a landmark. The panel approved of the building's height and its inter-relationship with St Patrick's Square. It made a series of recommendations about a protected tree, voids between the new block and its existing neighbours, the security of a terrace set back from the square and the relaxation of a requirement for secondary south-facing bedrooms to have 25m outlooks.

The council investigated the proposal's shading, wind, visual, traffic and parking, construction and noise effects.

Martin Green, director of planning consultants The Green Group, said The Stanley was much smaller than its neighbours.

"It is recognised in the central city that tall buildings are not only permitted but are encouraged. This building is not an anomaly in that context.

"It sits behind a far larger building [ANZ Tower] which, in terms of its effects, has greater effects in terms of shadowing, dominance, windage and the like than the proposed building would have," Green said. 

 
Rising soon

* Seven levels of offices.
* 30 apartments on 14 levels.
* Four floors of 215 sq m penthouses.
* Five levels of underground parking for 120 vehicles.
* Cafe and shops.
* Restaurant on level two accessible from lobby.
* Gym and roof garden for employees and residents.