Business North May 2021

36 | DEVELOPMENT Safari Group T he Residences at Central Park and LQ Ellerslie is Safari Group’s largest current mixed used project. Safari Group marketing manager Laura Perez says the aim is to create an “urban com - munity of the future”. She says that the government’s recent policy announcements, which have included an extension to the bright-line test period for existing properties from five to 10 years and removing interest deductibility on rental investment property, has pushed investors towards new builds and The Residences at Central Park has seen strong interest. While Safari Group aims its developments largely at investors to help supply much needed quality rental housing, Laura says that The Residences at Central Park are also at an attractive price point for first home buyers. The development offers studio, one bed- room, two bedroom and dual key residential apartments. An ‘Urban community of the future’ T T Karen Phelps The LQ Ellerslie Hotel will offer 103 fully furnished hotel units. Most of the units come with car parks and additional car parks available for purchase. A dual-key property is particularly attractive to the savvy investor, says Laura. It comprises a studio plus a one-bedroom apartment. Ea ch has its own kitchen and access thanks to a shared entry space. This gives an investor a lot of options, says Laura. “They can live in one and let the other out on a short, or a long-term basis, or let both. The dual space can also be utilised as one home if desired.” With interiors designed by Outline Design, intuitive layouts to the smallest design details have been thoughtfully considered. “Every element of the interiors has been considered to maximize comfort and style, contributing to the unsurpassed liveability and lifestyle offered by The Residences at Central Park,” says Laura. Quality has been at the forefront. For example all apartments have LVT flooring and engineered stone bench tops in the kitchens, while the European-styled bathrooms include imported tiles. The philosophy of quality also of course extends to the building structure, which is solid steel framing and concrete floors rising from concrete piles anchored into the basalt rock below. The exterior is clad in a unitised curtain-wall facade system resulting in a great architectural look, generous light via plentiful glazing and is also weather tight, thermally and acoustically sound. The project includes a rooftop amenity garden accessible only for residents, restaurant/café on the ground floor and a gym – all of which help to promote a sense of neighbourliness. Laura says the project, which is being released in stages, is selling extremely well, particularly to investors due to the favourable returns. A virtual reality headset is available for people to do a ‘walk through’ and there is a sales suite on site. The LQ Ellerslie Hotel will offer 103 fully furnished hotel units, which also make great investments, says Laura. As commercial properties they remain un - affected by the recent government property tax changes, and prices for these units start at $258,700 with an annual gross return of $15,000. Augustus Park Parnell is another current development. Located in the desirable inner-city suburb of Parnell with easy access to some of Auckland’s most popular attractions, Augustus Park offers astute investment opportunities for those seeking quality freehold apartments, says Laura. Augustus Park offers studios from $455,000, 1-bedroom’s from $690,000 and 2-bedroom apartments from $860,000. With fine-dining restaurants and trendy cafes, mixed in amongst boutique retail and funky art galleries, the development is also popular with home buyers. “Within the enviable double grammar zone and a short walk to Auckland University and the CBD, Augustus Park is well placed for those seeking academic excellence or simply looking to reduce the time spent in traffic on their daily commute.” ARCHITECTURAL HARDWARE ITALIAN WROUGHT IRON www.knkhardware.co.nz | sales@knkhardware.co.nz Built on an enduring reputation for superior quality, value, and service, KnK is a leading New Zealand architectural hardware supplier for over 25 years with five showrooms providing an excellent backdrop of our extensive range and sales representatives nationwide.