Mortgagee sales have been advertised for two of Napier's bigger commercial buildings – one of them under renovation as a hotel.
They are a four-storey block built on the corner of Munro and Raffles Sts about 13 years ago and known as the PWC Building, and a three-level structure built in the 1970s for law firm Langley Twigg off Raffles St and near what is now an intersection with Vautier St.
The PWC Building has in recent months been under conversion as a 52-room DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, with original lead tenants and global financial services giant Price Waterhouse Coopers now having its Hawke's Bay base in offices on the former Napier Cosmopolitan Club site on the corner of Marine Pde and Albion St.
A hub of community services had until recently operated out of the Langley Twigg building, having established on the site after the law firm moved to West Quay, Ahuriri, in 2006.
The Raffles St buildings, each with significant on-site parking, have been advertised by Colliers International for sale by mortgagee tender closing on July 24 at 3pm, and will not be sold before that time.
In the case of the PWC building, the advertising states "Urgent action required," while the Langley Twigg building is advertised "as is where is" with vacant possession and ready for refurbishment after already having "extensive demolition works."
Colliers International has been instructed not to comment on the sale plans, and lawyer Steve Lunn, a trustee with Thackeray Trust, which was publicly recognised as owner of the PWC building at the time refurbishment and hotel plans were announced two years ago, was also unable to comment.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Napier Hotel and Suites continues to appear on websites though it has never opened on the site. The Hilton group has also been asked for comments on its plans for Napier.