The desire to provide team members with an appealing workplace that fosters collaboration, productivity, and creativity and is highly accessibly to transport networks continues to drive businesses to examine their office requirements.
As New Zealand navigates the post-Covid-19 landscape, companies have had to adapt to a new working environment that features talent shortages and employees with heightened expectations around hybrid working and what their office will provide.
Spark’s recent announcement of a long-term lease for 14,000sq m of space at the under-construction Fifty Albert office tower in the heart of Auckland’s CBD typifies what an organisation is looking for in their new workplace.
Rob Bird, National Director of Office Leasing at Colliers who brokered the Spark deal, says the telco’s requirements were clear.
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“The desire to be in a building with sustainable credentials was highly appealing for Spark who are keen to meet their own environmental, social, and governance goals. Fifty Albert is being targeted for a 6 Green Star rating,” Bird says.
“The building offers substantial floorplates contributing to a collaborative environment and the best-in-class end-of-trip facilities that are sought-after by employees. There will also be a mixture of indoor and outdoor spaces and a restorative area for activities such as meditation, yoga, or prayer.
“Another key drawcard for Fifty Albert is its proximity to the City Rail Link. Te Waihorotiu Station (Aotea) will be only a few minutes away offering future occupants with another transport option.”
Fifty Albert will provide ground floor retail and 12 office floors and is due for completion in 2024. Spark, who have secured lower-level signage rights at the property, will move into the building in early 2025.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, office leasing activity remains strong in Auckland and the Colliers Office Leasing team enjoyed a record year in 2022, underpinned by the likes of the major deal they brokered for Beca who will move to 124 Halsey Street in Wynyard Quarter next year.
Aside from Spark, global wealth management platform FNZ have agreed to a lease deal at Fifty Albert that was brokered by Colliers and will see them occupy three floors covering more than 6,500sq m. They have also secured naming and upper-level signage rights for the building.
FNZ, which was founded in 2004, provides an integrated technology, transaction and custody platform to wealth managers, banks, insurers, and asset managers in 17 countries across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific to enable digital wealth management for around 20 million investors with approximately $1.4 trillion in assets.
Sam Gallaugher, Director of Office Leasing at Colliers, says working with FNZ marked the third time they have helped the firm move premises as they continue to expand their operations.
“We understand the dynamic nature of the rapidly changing office environment and can offer constructive solutions that are futured-focused for a wide range of businesses,” Gallaugher says.
“Business workplace specialists Spaces have also committed to a lease agreement on one floor at Fifty Albert and this new development is going to be one of the most impressive office towers in the city once it is fully constructed.”
- Article supplied by Colliers
