Set on the ridgeline of Auckland’s CBD fringe, the Symonds Street Portfolio represents one of the most significant commercial landholdings to come to market in recent years.
Comprising five adjoining freehold titles at 57, 67 and 69 Symonds St, 7 City Rd and 15–17 Liverpool St, the portfolio forms a contiguous 9628sq m footprint within Auckland’s education heartland, with strong transport connectivity and close proximity to the city’s central hub and medical precinct.
“This is institutional-scale land in a location that underpins some of Auckland’s most resilient demand drivers,” says Ian Hall of Barfoot & Thompson Commercial, who is marketing the portfolio with colleague John Stringer.
“It’s exceptionally well positioned, with income today and multiple future pathways.”
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The portfolio delivers immediate income through four established office buildings, alongside a vacant development site that adds a further layer of strategic flexibility.
Income is underpinned by high-quality education and professional tenants, with 482 on-site car parks providing a significant advantage in a part of the city where parking remains tightly constrained.
While the scale of the combined holding is a key part of the story, the portfolio also offers flexibility in how it can be acquired.
“Some buyers will be drawn to the opportunity to secure the entire footprint as a long-term strategic play,” Hall says.
“Others may look at individual assets or smaller groupings that align with their income or repositioning objectives. The strength of this portfolio is that both approaches are viable.”
Each property brings a distinct contribution to the overall offering.
At 57 Symonds St, a nine-level office building delivers established income with clear short-term leasing upside. Strong seismic credentials, prominent frontage and a position between the University of Auckland and AUT underpin tenant demand, while City Centre zoning provides longer-term flexibility for intensification.
The adjoining holdings at 67 and 69 Symonds St form the core of the portfolio’s education-anchored income profile. Together, they are leased to the University of Auckland and Whitecliffe College, reflecting the depth of institutional demand along upper Symonds St and the enduring role of the precinct as New Zealand’s primary tertiary hub.
With international enrolments trending upward again and Government policy focused on expanding the education export sector, demand around the Symonds St ridge continues to deepen - particularly for accommodation, student services and education-related commercial uses.
At 7 City Rd, a 12-level office building introduces a different dimension again. Elevated above the ridge with harbour views from upper levels, the asset combines existing income with genuine scope for repositioning over time, supported by its scale, zoning and proximity to the CBD and university campuses.
Completing the portfolio is 15–17 Liverpool St, a rare 803sq m freehold development site currently operating as a car park. Stringer emphasises that “while modest in isolation, this offering adds a clear development lever and enhances the flexibility around how the wider holding could evolve over time.”
Business – City Centre zoning under the Auckland Unitary Plan allows for intensive development outcomes.
“Height limits of up to 50m across much of the site, combined with the removal of floor area ratio caps, create genuine scope for future intensification, including purpose-built student accommodation, build-to-rent, visitor accommodation, mixed-use development or continued commercial use,” says Hall.
The Symonds Street Portfolio, including all five freehold titles collectively or individually, is offered by expressions of interest, closing 4pm, Wednesday April 8, unless sold prior.
- Supplied by Barfoot & Thompson
