Innovative building sale

The former Michael Hill building in Rathbone St in 2016.

The former Michael Hill building in Rathbone St is for sale by tender.

Built in the early 1960s, the construction was reported, at the time, to have been the first of its kind in New Zealand to be built entirely of steel, with concrete floors poured over a sheet metal underlay.

First National's Danny de Graaf is marketing floors one, two and three with options available for one or all of the floors, measuring about 1000sq m each.

Mr de Graaf says interest has been "not too bad" ahead of the tender close date of August 31.

The former Michael Hill building under construction in 1962 in Whangarei.

He says several government departments have looked at the building from the perspective of being able to house all their services under one roof.

There's also been some offshore interest from investors looking for a CBD location in the heart of a regional city, he said.

The building could also be attractive as a potential apartment complex, he said.