The grey exterior pod doorways at the partly finished project imported from China are stackedone on top of the other.
The block at the Pt Chevalier Rd/Great North Rd intersection appears bright green from the motorway or west side due to an exterior product, Securock Glass-Mat Sheathing, yet to be clad.
The way things look with many of the doors now, if you stepped out one of those pod unit doors at new one-bedroom units for people aged 55-plus, you’d be in peril.
Suspend judgement, warns a spokeswoman for the Crown agency. You’re seeing something half-finished and it won’t look like this once it’s done.
Images from the motorway or western side show those doors hanging up in the air. Numbers are already on the exterior and some scaffolds are in front of the level two and three pods.
But the spokeswoman said that only showed a work in progress.
Construction crews are now building covered walkways from the doors on the Point Chevalier pod units, linking to central stairways. Photo / Kāinga Ora
“The photo you’ve sent is the back of the building facing the motorway and shows the apartment door entrances without the walkways installed,” she said.
She sent the Herald images showing plans for the exterior finished face of the building with walkways as well as an image of work going on now to build those walkways. That will create the exit and entry from the pods via communal stairways.
As well as stairs on covered walkways, residents will be able to use lifts.
“There will be three separate lobby areas with three separate lifts and covered walkways from lifts to the doors,” she said.
How the west face of the Chinese pod housing block in Point Chevalier will look, once work is completed. Photo / Kāinga Ora
The project has already changed the face of Point Chevalier’s low-rise, more traditional town centre. But it has drawn some criticism, including from the construction sector with one chief saying: “I’m yet to see a pretty Kāinga Ora project.”
Another wondered how long it had taken and how much it had cost.
But Patrick Dougherty, Kāinga Ora’s general manager of construction and innovation, said the project was state-of-the-art. Off-site manufacturing would help to streamline the design and delivery of new developments, he said, although less than 5 per cent of all new state homes are made in this way.
Kainga Ora's modular development at the Great North Rd/ Point Chevalier Rd intersection. Photo / Jason Oxenham
New Zealand-based developer Tawera Group got the pod units from China. All modular units were built in accordance with approved building consent plans and Kāinga Ora said they were compliant with NZ standards.
Production of the units was overseen by Tawera and inspections were completed to ensure they met NZ standards before leaving China, Dougherty said.
The project was expected to take around 10 months all up. Eight residences were once there but were demolished after a fire broke out two years ago.
Kāinga Ora told neighbours the buildings would look a little odd till the project was finished.
So don’t judge the green.
“As the external façade will be the final step in the process, the building will look unusual while construction is underway. The interim perspective will be in place for a few months until the external finishes and treatments have been completed,” the agency said.
Kāinga Ora said it was making more efficient use of land by replacing many older state houses with warm and dry homes in areas of high demand.
A week ago, Housing Minister Megan Woods opened the agency’s new Northcote development.
The 85-unit development on Lake Rd replaces nine older homes, and will also house the local Kāinga Ora area office.
These new apartments are part of the Northcote development large-scale project.
It has 40 one-bedroom units, 30 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom units.
That project is in the three-block Ngāhuripoke development and has a playground and office spaces for community services.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 23 years, has won many awards, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
