New luxury hotel next phase in urban renewal
Construction of The Hotel Britomart has kicked off in downtown Auckland, launching another phase in the 15-year urban renewal of the heritage waterfront precinct.
The hotel will have 99 rooms and five suites, and will feature a distinctive brick exterior and an irregular pattern of windows.
The bricks are designed to link with the many heritage buildings in the Britomart precinct.
Reaching 10 storeys high, the hotel will provide luxury accommodation and developers are targeting a five-Green Star rating.
The construction project also includes the refurbishment and restoration of the adjoining Masonic and Buckland heritage buildings.
It is being developed by Cooper and Company, the Auckland company which has developed the waterfront complex of heritage and new buildings into a mix of restaurants, bars, boutiques, offices and services. Auckland building company Bracewell Construction will build the hotel.
Construction is expected to take 20 months with bookings opening about six months prior to completion.
Designed by Cheshire Architects, the hotel will be built at the corner of Gore and Galway streets.
The site was occupied for seven years by a highly popular pop-up bar, the Britomart Country Club, which closed its doors recently.
Work is now under way on the heritage buildings after the site was cleared.
Cooper and Company have appointed international hoteliers TFE Hotels as operator and manager under the TFE Collections brand, a portfolio of hotels in Australia and New Zealand which ‘‘have a sense of story and place’’.
‘‘The Hotel Britomart is an exciting new challenge and the start of a new phase of evolution for Britomart,’’ Matthew Cockram, chief executive of Cooper and Company said.
Cheshire Architects decided on brick to give the hotel a sense of solidity and to reference its links with the adjacent heritage buildings.
Key architectural features were irregular patterned bricks and windows. The rustic nature of the bricks contrast with the sleekness of the modern windows, Hansen said.
Cheshire has been involved with the Britomart Precinct for several years from the master planning to the development of restaurants and other hospitality services.
Cheshire also designed the 99 rooms and five suites interiors.
‘‘The Landing Suites’’ will have crafted furniture and ‘‘spacious living and dining areas’’. Three of the suites will have garden terraces.
Cooper and Company also manages The Landing, a vineyard with residences in the Bay of Islands. ‘‘Our experience in providing luxury accommodation and hospitality at The Landing in the Bay of Islands made us want to create a city hotel that expresses all the values of the Britomart precinct,’’ said Peter Cooper, executive chairman of Cooper and Company.
In addition to the lobby, The Hotel Britomart’s ground floor will have retail, food and beverage outlets.
The new hotel will be connected to the adjacent heritage buildings by a laneway that will lead to the hotel’s main entrance and also form a new connection with Customs St through the Masonic Building.
The two heritage facilities will be refurbished and leased as commercial tenancies.
Cooper and Company is working with Auckland Council and Auckland Transport to transform Galway St into a shared space during the hotel’s construction process.