ROGER MORONEY
The transformation of the West Quay waterfront at Ahuriri is set to take a further step with plans unveiled today for a $50 million commercial, residential and restaurant development.
The development, which will bear the name "Boathaus", is being planned by Wellington-based company Merge Projects Ltd and will go up
on the West Quay/Customhouse Quay corner formerly occupied by NJ Price Engineering.
Plans are for 21 high-end apartments, bars, cafes, a delicatessen, a wine lounge and approximately 3000sq m of commercial space.
Merge Projects development manager Martin Price said he anticipated the development would attract strong interest from the commercial and retail sector.
He added that the development would be the first in the Ahuriri district where all the titles would be freehold ownership.
"The commercial and retail opportunities will appeal to a wide network of businesses looking to own some prime real estate as it removes any exposure to ground rents and rent reviews," Mr Price said.
The building will be among the highest on the West Quay frontage, rising to four levels with retail on the ground floor, commercial on the middle levels and residential on the fourth level.
Mr Price said the company had had what it described as "positive" discussions with the Napier City Council and the Urban Design Panel, and said both parties were "essentially happy with the overall design, scale and mixed use nature of the development".
A similar development, Shed 5 in the former Williams and Kettle building 100 metres along the quay, is already under way.
The "Boathaus" project is expected to receive resource consent by February next year with construction scheduled to start mid-year, with a completion date of late 2009.
Mr Price said the company had worked closely with the council to ensure certain aspects of the original building were retained and that the development suited the Ahuriri precinct.
