The Terrace, Takapuna. Photo / Supplied
Parishioners already know St George's Presbyterian Church has a stellar location in the heart of Takapuna; now a clutch of luxury townhouse owners are going to share in that.
The Terrace Takapuna development being sold off the plans will be on the northern part of the block of land long-owned by the church. It will see seven three-storey townhouses rise in a secure complex on the corner of The Terrace and Collins St.
Two of the end townhouses have already sold. The block of four and block of three will sit roughly where the church's manse sits now, reincarnated as the development's display suite.
A scaffolding tower onsite illustrates the views. Easterly facing townhouses will look towards Rangitoto and the sea while northwest-facing ones will look over Lake Pupuke.
"Location, location, location," says developer David Gaze, explaining his instant interest when a congregation member told him the church was looking to sell some of its land.
It purchased land here in the late 1800s, building an earlier church replaced by today's impressive mid-century angular-roofed building.
David says: "It's a reasonably level piece of land so close to so many amenities.
"Owners will be able to walk to the shops within a couple of minutes and to Takapuna Beach within five minutes."
He says the site could have accommodated apartments built to a higher number of levels but he preferred a select, sophisticated townhouse development more sympathetic to its environment.
David has been in the property industry for more than 30 years. The many projects completed by his design and project management company Gaze Holdings included the well-known rejuvenation of local Hurstmere Rd stone castle-type house Merkesworth Castle as his former family home.
He believes buyers want to avoid body corporates so owners of these freehold properties will instead manage a residents' society covering shared costs.
He envisages this development will appeal to locals wanting to downsize to somewhere still spacious and luxurious yet also with lock-up-and-leave security.
Townhouses enjoying end positions command a slightly higher price at $2.7 million than the remainder at $2.5 million each.
All residences have been conceived with the same floor-plan although David emphasises there's flexibility for buyers to customise layouts or materials as desired. For example, owners who don't see the need for a fourth toilet mid-level might extend the kitchen.
An automatic gate will shield the CCTV-monitored shared driveway providing access to every townhouse's internal-access double garaging.
The townhouses will be built of tilt-slab concrete with concrete floors and inter-tenancy walls for superior quietness, accented by extensive exterior use of vertical shiplap cedar boards.
A rock wall inset with louvres will have gates giving pedestrian access into each townhouse's front courtyard.
This will be supplemented by more outdoor living in a larger balcony off the mid-floor living and another smaller balcony off the upper levels' master bedroom.
Each air-conditioned residence has its own lift able to accommodate a wheelchair should owners want to continue living there as they age.
As well as the carpeted double garage the ground floor has an ensuited bedroom that could suit a carer or be a study.
The first floor's open-plan living-dining-kitchen has a powder room and opens to a balcony.
Upstairs' en suited master bedroom with walk-in-wardrobe and balcony has a study or sewing area on the landing outside.
This floor also encompasses a family bathroom plus two other bedrooms, including one with another walk-in-wardrobe.
Construction is envisaged to start in October-November this year for completion November-December 2018.