This extravagant apartment owes its creation to Wayne and Karen Foster falling in love with the gloriously scenic views from what had been planned as three apartments – and deciding they had to have them all.
Mulling over apartment options, the couple visited the show suite in a former office building which Tawera Group was about to redevelop into luxury apartments.
“We loved the views, the inner-city location and it being a very solid concrete building,” Wayne says. They checked out the views from three neighbouring seventh floor spaces intended to become three two-bedroom apartments.
“Each apartment had a fantastic deck; one looking beautifully out to the west, one to the north and one to the east over the city. We thought ‘which one shall we buy?’, then bought two. Then we went away and said ‘oh, no, we’ve got to have that other deck’ so we bought all three apartments off the plans.”
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They carved a little eastern section off to make a separate apartment and worked with Hopetoun Residences’ developers to create their luxurious 300sqm two-bedroom apartment, completed in 2015. It exalts a magical 270-degree vista.
7A/15 Hopetoun Street in Freemans Bay has two bedrooms, two bathrooms and three garages.
“Our view sweeps around from the Waitakere ranges, across the beautiful greenery of Western Park across the road, around past the upper harbour and the Harbour Bridge, the city and Sky Tower and up towards the Waiheke Channel.
“At night time, it’s spectacular with all the lights, including the illuminated Harbour Bridge, Sky Tower and the pink cycleway.
“And because you’ve got Western Park and Auckland Girls Grammar across the road, your view is not going to be taken away from you.”
Their residence comes with three car parks, to which they’ve added wiring for electric car charging capability, plus four storage lockers.
“It was important to us to be able to stand almost anywhere in the apartment and still admire the view,” Wayne says.
“Everyone who comes here is a bit blown away by it. We watch the yacht races, the leaves changing colour in the park and the action along K’ Road and Ponsonby Road.”
Alfie, their cat, has the choice of lounging on three large covered decks outfitted with bifolding glass to protect from the elements. Splendid oak flooring, designer light fittings and a svelte entertainer’s kitchen complete with extras such as a built-in steamer feature in the swathe of airy open-plan living-dining.
There’s also a second lounge-media room, an office, laundry and powder room. The two big master bedrooms at either end of the apartment both boast walk-in wardrobes and sumptuous ensuites, the couple’s one with shutters allowing them to still admire the view from its bath or shower. They love the building’s tennis court and swimming pool, well-run nature and security. They often walk into Ponsonby or the city and access to all motorways is nearby. Now they’re ready for another project.
Bayleys agent Trent Quinton, who is marketing the property, says, “This luxurious residence is a very special one-off property, the likes of which we don’t often get to market.
“Inner city apartments this special are so rare and highly sought after.”
This property goes to auction on May 20.
