Easy living with style
With easy connections to the airport and CBD Parkside Residences has plenty to offer, writes Donna Fleming
It’s taken a while, but Kiwis are finally embracing the idea of apartment living, especially in city centres. And now people are seeing the attraction of living in apartments outside the CBD; in suburbs that have lots to offer residents. Mt Wellington is one of those areas with great appeal, and property developers Austino seized the chance to build Parkside Residences on a site next to Sir Woolf Fischer Park on Barrack Rd.
Austino’s development manager Russel Strahle says: “I think New Zealand is coming around to apartment living and people are realizing that they are not only an option if you are living in the central city. They are also a good option for city fringe areas and suburbs, especially if you want a home that is low maintenance and you want to enjoy what is on offer in your neighbourhood.”
Mt Wellington is going to be a great growth area, says Russel.
“There are so many positives. It’s very near Sylvia Park, one of the biggest shopping centres in the country, and it is a short commute on the motorway into the city and to the airport. Plus there is really good transport, with trains and buses a short walk away.”
Mt Wellington’s convenient location appeals to people who work in the city and out by the airport, and everywhere in between. But it also has the bonus of having plenty of attractions on its doorstep.
As well as great shopping and the movie complex at Sylvia Park, there are lots of leisure options locally, with activities for people of all ages. Nearby Panmure and Pakuranga have everything from tenpin bowling and rollerskating through to the Lagoon Pool and Leisure complex.
Keen walkers are spoilt for choice, with Mt Wellington Domain and the Panmure Basin Walkway within easy reach. And having Sir Woolf Fischer Park right next door, accessed via a private gate, is going to be great for people living at Parkside, says Russel.
“You’ve got this big open space for kids to run around in but no lawns to mow,” he says.
The development, over seven levels, has been designed by Paul Brown Architects, whose team has been behind some of Auckland’s most iconic apartment blocks, including the Connaught in Waterloo Quadrant and The Precinct in Lorne Street.
Situated down a private lane, the striking building will have a modern faade that uses different shades and textures of concrete and glass. The upper apartments will have extensive views, while the north and east facing apartments on the ground floor will have large, private courtyards. Other apartments feature covered balconies.
There is a selection of affordable one, two and three-bedroom apartments in a variety of configurations, with the one bedroom apartments having a “flexi-room” that can serve many purposes.
When it comes to interior design, the focus is on a simple but stylish look for each apartment, achieved thanks to crisp white walls, timber floors and dark joinery. The kitchens have a contemporary white-on-white palette and will have Bosch appliances and engineered stone bench tops. Bathrooms will also be light and bright, as well as functional, with fully-tiled walls, and frameless glass showers. Storage will be available in the basement parking garage.
Austino were keen to include communal areas for the use of all residents, so Parkside Residences has two barbecue areas with shelter and seating.
“We’ve put these with other properties we have done, and they’ve proved to be popular,” says Russel. “It’s a good way of getting to know your neighbours.”
Construction is underway on Parkside Residences, with completion expected in March 2020.