Precinct Properties has announced the launch of a new boutique residential development, Pillars in St Mary’s Bay.
Video \ Jason Dorday
Commercial and residential investor Precinct Properties pushed up revenue from $248 million to $266.1m in its latest year, and after a $22.1m loss, it made $11m net profit after tax.
Reporting for the year to June 30, 2025, the listed landlord declared a $3.7b pipeline, saying it would start buildingits Te Pumanawa o Tamaki/Downtown Carpark project in Auckland’s Commercial Bay next year.
Preliminary design is progressing and now includes a hotel.
Two towers, one up to 56 levels, are to rise on the Downtown Carpark site, which Precinct bought from Auckland Council’s Eke Panuku for $122 million.
Procurement discussions are under way with several main construction contractors and sub-contractors “with good levels of interest”.
Works are expected to start next year, “following pre-leasing and construction procurement”.
Plans (left) for the new $290m student accommodation block at 22 Stanley St, Parnell. Photo / Precinct Properties
Precinct also plans New Zealand’s largest student accommodation block: a $290m 960-unit Parnell giant on Stanley St, to be leased to the University of Auckland. Targeted opening is 2028.
It also plans a new strategic real estate investment partnership with Singapore-based institutional investor, global asset manager and operator, Keppel. Today it was the first time it has named that business although it has previously referred to a Singaporean partner.
Scott Pritchard, CEO of Precinct Properties in Pipiri Lane, the former Flowers Building, on Halsey St in the Wynyard Quarter on Auckland waterfront. Photo / Jason Dorday
The company, headed by CEO Scott Pritchard, plans capital partnerships of $4b to $5b in the medium term.
Precinct is ranked in the NZX top 20.
It declared $3.3b of assets directly held in its 2024 result but said it had a further $1.6b of capital partnering assets under management.
Precinct Properties' plans for Pumanawa Downtown West: two towers on the Downtown Carpark site. This shows the two new towers to the right, with SkyTower on the far right.
Today, it declared $3.4b of assets and is paying a 6.75cps dividend to investors.
Plans for a joint venture with Orams Group on Beaumont St in the Wynyard Quarter are “advanced” for a commercial office and marine-related development.
Precinct developed the $1b PwC Tower at Commercial Bay. Photo / supplied
The company plans to sell all or part of Commercial Bay’s PwC Tower, not revealing precise plans.
“Precinct is seeking to establish a capital partnership to invest in the PwC Tower. This initiative is consistent with Precinct’s long-standing business strategy. It enables the recycling of capital,” it said today.
Precinct has $1.6b of debt, up from last year’s $1.3b. Its gearing is 41.6% but it can go to 50%. It is looking to cut borrowings via those capital partnerships.
Post balance date, it launched Precinct Flex in its flexible office space model. It rents office space to tech titans Meta, Amazon, IBM and HP but changed the model of that leasing business, which rents desks to those giants in New Zealand.
On Saturday, Pritchard announced a new $100m scheme for St Mary’s Bay: Pillars, a 20-unit four-level project at 99 College Hill.
Scott Pritchard, CEO of Precinct Properties, announcing a new apartment development, Pillars, St Mary’s Bay, on Saturday. Photo / Jason Dorday
That is the ninth for the once solely commercial developer which built the $1b Commercial Bay.
Pillars is to have 42 car parks, be built by Precinct Properties Wynyard in two blocks, on a 2364sq m site sold by Mansons TCLM, straddling College Hill and Dublin St.
It was designed by Jasmax. The special character of Dublin St means gabled roof forms and setbacks in the new apartments.
Precinct nine apartment schemes, largest to smallest:
22 Stanley St, Parnell: $290m 960-unit student accommodation, consented, building started in June, due to open 2028.
256 Queen St, 680 units, student accommodation, being planned.