| 33 T T Karen Phelps Success built on response to demand The St Giles Park View development at 44 Kilbirnie Crescent will offer a mix of three- and four-bedroom homes with garages, dual-key units, and two-bedroom options at entry-level prices. Urban Company REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Urban Company director Marc Lock says the company’s approach to residential development is driven by real demand, not assumptions. “We don’t just guess what people might want. We build what they’re actually asking for,” he says. Led by Marc and fellow directors Rory Spray, Duncan Watts, and Alex Cassels, Urban Company has made customisation and quality the foundation of its development model. This philosophy goes far beyond surface-level choices like paint colours. Buyers can personalise nearly every aspect of their home from flooring and kitchen cabinetry to tapware, tiles and even optional features like children’s bathtubs, emergency water tanks and solar panels for sustainable living. The company operates through MRG, a management firm run by Rory and Marc, which oversees all construction and project management. “We use a model called construction managed,” explains Marc. “Instead of hiring a single builder, we contract each trade individually and manage the project ourselves. This approach improves efficiency and ensures high-quality outcomes.” He says this hands-on model allows Urban Company to maintain strict quality control and offer a level of flexibility that traditional developers often can’t match. The design team works closely with buyers, offering expert interior design guidance to help bring each client’s vision to life. Importantly, Urban Company doesn’t include price escalation clauses in its contracts, meaning the agreed price remains fixed, regardless of market changes during construction. Urban Company’s responsiveness to market demand is evident in its portfolio. When data showed a growing need for one-bedroom apartments and studios, the company launched Ghuznee Terraces, a 32-unit development on Ghuznee Street, just minutes from Wellington’s CBD. Another current project is St Giles Park View at 44 Kilbirnie Crescent. Built on the former St Giles Church site, the development is ideally located across from Toitū Pōneke Community & Sports Centre, the regional aquatic centre, Kilbirnie Park and the library with a bus stop right outside. The project is already 50% sold, and offers a mix of three- and four-bedroom homes with garages, dual-key units, and two-bedroom options at entry-level prices. “For a townhouse location, it’s probably the best on the market in Wellington right now,” says Marc. He says Urban Company focuses on established neighbourhoods where demand is high but supply is limited. Its development, Wadestown Rise at 118 Wadestown Road, is a prime example. The 10-townhouse development appeals to both families and downsizers looking to stay in the area, and Marc says it’s been selling quickly. “It’s a tough suburb to develop with steep terrain, narrow roads and older homes,” he says. “It’s hard for families to get into the market there.” In Tawa, he says the recently completed Eighteen Oxford development has been especially popular with first-home buyers. “It’s close to the train station, supermarket, and schools. Its success reflects our focus on practical, everyday needs.” Urban Company also has several projects in the pipeline. These include a 19-home development in Island Bay, currently at the consent stage, alongside the Ghuznee Terraces project and more to come. • DEMOLITION • EARTHWORKS • DRAINAGE & SERVICES • RETAINING • CONCRETE PLACING • LANDSCAPING @MRGCivil GET IN TOUCH enquiries@mrgcivil.co.nz GAS, HEATING, DRAINAGE, CIVIL DRAINAGE & SEPTIC Ph (04) 233 8350 Mob 022 324 0865 Mana Plumbing your one stop shop for all your plumbing, gasfitting, drainage & civil needs We are always proud to work along side Urban Company
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=