Napier’s historic courthouse awaits judgement of marketplace
A Category 1 heritage building in Napier, steeped in local history, is for sale for the first time since it was constructed in the 1870s.
Located at 59 Marine Parade in Napier, the property is widely known as Conservation House and was first used as the Napier Courthouse.
Partly refurbished and seismically strengthened, the multi-level property has a floor area of 1143sq m.
It is currently home to the Department of Conservation, with a lease that expires in March 2024.
The property sits on a high-profile corner site that spans 1308sq m and boasts excellent street presence in a sought-after location. There is also on-site parking.
Ideally suited towards accommodation, offices or a mixed-use offering, including hospitality, purchasers will see significant opportunity in restoring this William Henry Clayton-designed masterpiece.
Ash Hames, commercial broker at Colliers Hawke’s Bay, is marketing the property via tender closing at 3pm, Wednesday November 29.
The design is a timber-framed structure clad with weatherboards, timber doors and windows, a flagpole and veranda.
It has a roof structure supported by heavy timber trusses with galvanised iron sheathing, and it is set on timber pile foundations.
Foundation strengthening was undertaken in 2010, including sub-floor bracing and improved structural connection of piles to bring the rating to 67 per cent NBS.
The current layout provides 821sq m of space on the open-plan ground floor, which includes offices, storage and amenity areas.
The first floor spans 322sq m and includes further office space and a viewing platform to the ground floor.
The potential is significant for an owner with a strategic vision to redevelop this site and capitalise on its prominent position. There’s a string of popular local hospitality spots in the surrounding area.
Hames says the beauty of this offering lies in the multitude of options for the new owner.
“There is potential to create an accommodation site that could retain the building’s existing character and feel, while another office development in the city would be well received given the current shortage of premium space on Marine Parade.
“This property gives buyers the opportunity to own a slice of Hawke’s Bay history given it is one of Napier’s oldest buildings.”