New life awaits Titirangi church
A community meeting-place, childcare facility, medical centre or character residential conversion are among future uses mooted for the former Titirangi Presbyterian Church.
The church has declared the nearly 2500sq m site at the edge of Titirangi village surplus to requirements and put on the market.
The freehold Atkinson Rd property encompasses the approximately 447sq m former church building and a smaller 60sq m standalone unit set amid native trees. It sits directly across the road from Titirangi School and one minute’s drive from the town centre, with good access to public transport.
Bayleys salesperson Craig Smith said the well-maintained premises presented commercial property buyers with an array of possibilities, subject to any planning approvals.
“This sale presents a fantastic opportunity for another religious or community group seeking a gathering-place or for a conversion to the likes of a healthcare facility or an early childhood education centre.
“Alternatively, it could be a prized opportunity for a new owner to carry out a redevelopment or conversion to create new residential accommodation with a difference,” Smith said.
The site is zoned Residential—Large Lot under the Auckland Unitary Plan, which provides for large-lot residential development on the periphery of urban areas.
Titirangi has long been a popular lifestyle location for residents who value its native forest setting and access to beaches, walking tracks and the Waita¯kere Ranges, just 13km from Auckland’s CBD. A vibrant arts scene adds to its charm, with galleries and boutiques showcasing local talent.
The freehold land and buildings at 234 Atkinson Rd are being marketed with vacant possession through Smith and colleague Wesley Gerber of Bayleys Northwest.
The property will be sold by deadline private treaty closing Thursday June 6, unless sold prior.
Gerber said shrinking congregations had led to the disposal of numerous churches and other religious buildings across New Zealand in recent decades. Many of the things that made a property suitable for a church — such as accessible sites with plenty of parking in the heart of residential catchments — are also on the wish lists of commercial property buyers.
Spacious interiors and character features often add further to their appeal.
“Across the country there are fine examples where these have been repurposed by imaginative new owners for a myriad of uses, including as bars, offices, art galleries, museums, performance venues, cultural centres, apartment complexes and family homes,” Gerber said.