On Saturday 29 June, renders for an apartment building housing 102 new market homes (including KiwiBuild homes) were unveiled to the public at the Northcote Development Information Day. Located at 38 Fraser Avenue, the apartments will be built by HLC builder partner, NZ Living, and will be the first homes available for purchase as part of the Northcote Development.
NZ Living was established in 2016 to meet the growing need for high quality, medium-density housing that’s both durable and low maintenance. Since then, NZ Living has successfully delivered on their promise at Mason Square in Otahuhu, and then 340 Onehunga Mall. Next stop, Fraser Avenue in Northcote.
Shane Brealey is the Director of NZ Living and is overseeing the delivery of all 102 apartments at Fraser Avenue, including comprehensively planning and putting together a team to help him build the project.
“We’ve already selected over 80% of our subcontractors and suppliers for the project,” says Shane. “These are trusted companies who we’ve worked with previously across our other development projects. We don’t tender our work seeking the lowest prices like the bulk of the industry. Instead, we agree a fair price and then work together on continuous improvement and quality enhancement. This is ultimately reflected in the quality of our builds.”
NZ Living has engaged Kevin Brewer of Brewer Davidson Architecture to design and master plan Fraser Avenue. Like all NZ Living developments, one-third of the site will be built on, one-third will be allocated for car parking, and the remaining third will be landscaped green spaces.
“The buildings are arranged so that there are lobbies serving about six to nine apartments each. This facilitates social interactions between neighbours and establishes a strong community within the broader development.”
NZ Living aims to reduce housing costs by reducing overall construction time as well as long-term living costs by using quality, low-maintenance materials.
“NZ Living homes are built using solid brick, concrete and block all the way to roof level. These materials are durable, long-lasting and low maintenance. The external cladding has no painted or stained surfaces that require expensive scaffolding to maintain. We also eliminate lift installation and maintenance costs by restricting the development to three stories rather than the permitted maximum of five.”
NZ Living is careful and considered when it comes to choosing the location of their next project. Shane explains, “Our projects will always be based around Auckland suburban town centres with good amenity and public transport options. That’s why we chose Northcote for our next development project.”
“Significant investment is going into Northcote’s streetscapes and public amenities, including a new primary school and an upgraded town centre. And it’s close to everything too; Takapuna, Wairau Road and the CBD. You can walk everywhere within Northcote, and there are great public transport links. Plus, unlike some of the other Auckland suburbs that are still establishing themselves, Northcote has a real community buzz.”
NZ Living is looking at implementing three to four development projects in the area over the next two to three years. In the meantime, market homes at Fraser Avenue are available for purchase now. NZ Living will have a sales suite at 38 Fraser Avenue, complete with a sample kitchen and bathroom, available to view from Thursday 8 August. To view houses for sale, and for more information on Fraser Avenue, head to www.fraseravenue.co.nz.