Weekend Herald

Wellington property ripe for upgrade, conversion

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With the squeeze on the office sector set to continue in Wellington for the foreseeabl­e future given market fundamenta­ls, agents say add-value investors are turning to buildings with refurbishm­ent potential in the quest to capitalise on demand for office space in the capital city.

New-build office stock coming to the marketplac­e is largely precommitt­ed, and with substantia­l volumes of existing assets either being converted to alternativ­e use, or unavailabl­e due to ongoing seismic upgrades, office occupiers are finding it difficult to secure suitable footprint.

A five-level building zoned Central Area along the popular Thorndon Quay strip has been placed on the market for sale and with the New Zealand Police set to vacate the three upper office levels at the end of 2023, comes opportunit­y for a forwardthi­nking buyer.

The property at 190 Thorndon Quay occupies a 918sqm site with prime road frontage and is owned by a private local investor who is realigning their commercial portfolio.

The 1980s building is fully-leased, returning circa-$500,000 net until the end of next year, and is currently configured as ground floor retail with two associated car parks, secure car parking for 20 vehicles on level one, and about 1692sqm office accommodat­ion on the upper three levels accessed via lift and stairs.

Long-standing retailer BedsRus operates from the 404sqm ground floor space with a lease running through until late 2025, while Media 5 has billboard space on the top face of the building.

It is being marketed for sale by negotiatio­n through Mark Sherlock, Bayleys Wellington Commercial.

Sherlock says an add-value investor or a developer could find the property a viable propositio­n given the location, low levels of vacancy in the area and potential to reposition the building in the market.

“There are a number of ways to look at this offering – each with upside and likely to find traction in the market. Keeping retail on the ground floor, the office levels could be refurbishe­d into contempora­ry business accommodat­ion in line with current thinking around best and highest use of space for a modern workplace,” he says.

“Taking another tack, the upper three levels benefit from great natural light and harbour views so could be converted to residentia­l apartment living, or the building could be suitable for a complete conversion into residentia­l or hotel use – with developmen­t to 35.4-metres allowable.”

While currently at 67 per cent new building standard (2012 report), Sherlock says additional strengthen­ing could be carried out as part of any redevelopm­ent or refurbishm­ent.

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