• Published: August 26, 2016

A promise of the high life

Source: NZ Herald

Render of Milford Living, Milford Rd, Milford

Part way up Milford’s new gulf-gazing luxury apartment development there’ll be a big open-air park encompassing a swimming pool, fountains and outdoor fireplaces set amidst elevated gardens and lawns.

No-nonsense chairman of the company developing Milford Living, NZRPG’s Mark Gunton says succinctly: “We’re going to create a vertical village and it’s going to be best in class.”

Facilities abound: the 3000sq m podium park (about the size of 15 netball courts) will be complemented by a theatrette, gym and games/social room with commercial kitchen.

Milford Living will consist of two buildings and ‘The Milford’ is the first of these two, sleeved around NZRPG’s Milford retail centre and containing 115 apartments across 10 levels.

All apartments have included in their price two car parks, ducted air conditioning, a Matisse kitchen made by Archlinea (Italy), Gaggenau appliances and a lock-up storage unit. Twelve three-bedroom penthouses spread over upper levels also get private lift access.

Render of Milford Living, Milford Rd, Milford

Mark says NZRPG’s commitment to achieving an outstanding outcome in this premium location is what has kept them focused for the past decade. They bought Milford Mall with its potential-packed land in 2006, negotiated with authorities and the community through council hearings and the environment court since and got development approval three months ago.

He imagines some locals envisaged minimum-size, heavily tenanted apartments rather than the luxury two- and three-bedroom dwellings on offer.

Mark says the long-term business philosophy of his privately owned company, New Zealand Retail Property Group, makes it clear why producing downmarket apartments would sabotage their future retail turnover.

NZRPG, one of New Zealand’s largest privately owned property management and development groups, owns Westgate, Milford and Highbury (Birkenhead) retail centres and wants to continue owning retail long-term. By developing upmarket town centres with quality residential they’ll bolster the number of desirable, discerning high-spend locals shopping the retail premises onsite.Mark says: “People here are going to be living in the sort of environment that reflects the aspirations of Milford.”They’ll be two blocks from Milford beach, 100 metres from the marina, 4km from Takapuna and 18-minutes’ drive from Auckland’s CBD.”From level two up they’re going to get outstanding views of the Hauraki Gulf from TiriTiri Matangi Island, past Rangitoto and Devonport and spanning around to Sky City.”Residents will have on hand the podium park on Level Four, the gym, theatrette and other facilities on Level Three and the ability to pop down to restaurants and retail in the mall.”
Render of Milford Living, Milford Rd, Milford

NZRPG overhauled Milford Mall when they first bought it with the land supporting this development and will now renovate it again and extend it in unison with this residential build to create a town centre. They’ll increase existing basement car-parking to create two car parks per dwelling and provide extra parking needed for the centre’s upcoming new dining, entertainment and shopping options.

Mark says his in-house architects’ design for the concrete and steel building featuring movable louvres to decks is contemporary but with enduring appeal.

The apartments’ park with seating areas, hedging and mature trees has been designed by landscaper Gaynor Revill. The lobby will showcase granite while marble will accent corridors and bestow luxuriousness to apartments’ interiors.

These lock-up-and-leave apartments will have 2.7-metre stud height (barring wet areas), engineered timber floors and owners can select from decor colour-way options.

NZRPG plans to start pre-construction work (such as moving part of the car-park) this month followed by a 27-month build.

They’ve only just officially started marketing Milford Living’s apartments but had already racked up hundreds of pre-registrations.

Many have been from keen-to-downsize locals with those who winter overseas particularly concerned about securing their choice of apartment before flying out.