Strong Whangarei postal centre a rare building

An elevated view of the former NZ Post centre for sale at 21 Rewa Rewa Rd, Whangarei

A large industrial and office building on Whangarei's main commercial arterial route is for sale following a decision by the owner NZ Post to relocate to new premises.

"The size and structural integrity of this building is rarely found in Whangarei," says Allan Inglis of First National Whangarei who is marketing the 21 Rewa Rewa Rd property for sale by tender closing at 4 pm on Thursday, November 26 unless it sells earlier by negotiation.

"This portal framed structure with concrete precast walls is one of the most sought after types of commercial and industrial buildings in Whangarei," Inglis says. "The western side wall is supported by round concrete columns that cantilever from dead man beams and there is a timber framed mezzanine to the south eastern corner of the building.

"A structural assessment was requested by NZ Post on the building using the Initial Evaluation Procedure [IEP] assessment method. This estimated the building at a seismic lateral load capacity of 118 per cent New Building Standard [NBS] or a very low seismic risk factor of A-plus."

The building was constructed in 1997 just off State Highway One in the commercial and industrial centre of Whangarei. It has a 2670 sq m floor area occupying a 5740 sq m freehold site and varies in stud height from 6.5 m at the knee to 8.5 m at the apex.

Inglis says the property occupies a prime road frontage position with easy access for heavy transport and comes with 52 car parks.

The former NZ Post mail service centre of 919 sq m dominates the majority of the interior of the property which features an 871 sq m trucking interchange with 6m X 6m electronic roller doors each side allowing for the free flow of vehicles, along with expansive work and office space. The interchange catered for up to 200 vehicle movements per day.

Offices on the mezzanine floor and below are equipped with WiFi and include a boardroom and an open plan office area that can easily accommodate 15 employees. The 7C zoned building also has a security camera room, a reception area and a 'break' room for staff.

Inglis says Whangarei and its environs are projected to grow exponentially commercially with much more cargo destined to pass through the deep water Northport facility at Marsden Point in future and ultra fast broadband having been deployed across Whangarei city, allowing business and industry sectors open access to the fibre optic network.

"Projected population growth will see the Auckland motorway extended from Puhoi to Warkworth by 2019 and a further extension from Warkworth to Wellsford to be completed by 2022," Inglis says. "These and other planned infrastructure improvements will see travel times and ease of access to Whangarei greatly improve delivery times and encourage business expansion.

"In view of this, we expect the Rewa Rewa Rd property to have wide appeal to owner occupiers, value plus investors, developers and contractors."