46 | DEVELOPMENT CLR Developments: Rhodes Residences T T Richard Loader Solid demand for quality townhouses A render of the townhouse project at 24 Rhodes Street, which encompasses five two-storey attached townhouses running the length of the section, with a single access drive running from Rhodes Street. Following a career spent policing Christchurch’s streets, seventeen years ago Ross Gilray decided the time was right to follow his true lifelong passion for property, and founded CLR Developments, a project management company with a focus on building beautifully crafted homes. Employing its own team of craftsman, CLR Developments predominantly operates in Christchurch’s highly sought after suburbs of Merivale and Fendalton. Projects have ranged from high-end adjoining townhouses, right through to large architecturally designed standalone homes complete with internal access lifts. “Everything we do is bespoke, tailor made to the section, and everything is interesting,” says Ross. “At the end of it we just produce beautiful homes that, if I do say so, people queue up to buy. “Our success has been about producing the right product and selling it for the right price. I guess my passion is part of the reason for our success, and that passion filters down to my team. I have the same foreman and two of the same builders that I started with 17 years ago.” One of CLR Development’s current projects is five very high-end town houses in Merivale’s Rhodes Street, and is being developed by Rhodes Residences, a company Ross co-owns with two other business partners. “We actually had three sites on Rhodes Street: 18, 20 and 24, and each of those sites had three 1960s single level flats on them, which were quite run down, earthquake damaged and almost unliveable. “Over the last three years those buildings have been progressively removed and replaced with very high-end townhouses, with Number 24 the last to do.” Close to the City, Hagley Park and the City’s private schools the location has enormous appeal, with the townhouse development providing better use of the land and complementing the area’s natural appeal. Zoned residential medium density, Number 24’s total land area is 809sqm, and encompasses five two-storey attached townhouses running the length of the section, with a single access drive running from Rhodes Street. The first four townhouses are 150sqm, and the rear one is 165sqm. Downstairs, each of the townhouses has its own single garage, a guest toilet, kitchen/ dining/living. The first level includes three bedrooms, with the master having its own ensuite; a separate full bathroom and separate laundry. “They’re beautifully crafted with only the best fittings and best subcontractors used,” says Ross. “People tell me they’re the best townhouses you can buy in Christchurch. The design is very architectural, with cathedral ceilings in most of the bedrooms, floor to ceiling windows both upstairs and downstairs, particularly the bedroom windows. The bathrooms and ensuites are fully tiled, and there are designer kitchens. The exterior cladding is a fusion of tray, cedar and aerated concrete panel. Each townhouse has its own private 30 – 35sqm private outdoor area with a further 10 – 15sqm service area for bins. Each townhouse also has a carpark out the front.” Construction at Number 24 commenced in September 2023 and will be completed this September, at which stage they will be progressively released for marketing and likely to appeal to a relatively wealthy demographic. “Many of the previous townhouses that we’ve built on Rhodes Street have gone to lock-and-leave parents of kids attending private schools, who want a bolthole in Christchurch where their kids can go while boarding, and also where the parents can stay when visiting their kids. They have also been sold to one-child families, with quite a few going to professional, single parents with one and sometimes two kids. We’ve also had elderly retired couples buy them, with lots of downsizers wanting to stroll around Hagley Park and enjoy all the things that the city has to offer.” “Everything we do is bespoke, tailor made to the section, and everything is interesting.” 0800 BESPOKE (0800 237 765)
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