An abandoned tower on Auckland's waterfront could soon find a new owner.
By Felix Walton of RNZ
The enormous $300 million Seascape tower has been unfinished since construction stalled in 2024.
But real estate agency Bayleys says it's on track to choose a preferred buyer within the next month.
For neighbour Judy Rawhiti, the 56-storey skeleton blocks what used to be a picturesque seaside view.
"It is ugly, it is absolutely ugly. We used to have a beautiful view across to Devonport. My view now, I'm looking out and I can see the unfinished building and it's all grey and gloomy," she said.
"When the wind blows it sounds like a train's going past because there's a big 'ooooh' sort of ghostly noise, that's probably why they call it the ghost building."
Construction on the ambitious apartment building began in 2017 and was due to be completed in 2021, but disruptions from Covid-19 pushed it into 2024.
Then, a fallout between developer Shundi Customs and contractor China Construction NZ ground the project to a halt.
All that time, Rawhiti had watched the half-finished tower sit exposed to the elements.
"I'd love it to be dismantled," she said.
"If someone else buys it, half of it... Especially up the top, there's no windows in there, so it's exposed to the elements all right. I mean there'll be so much inside that'll need to be replaced."
Seascape was put in the hands of receivers early this year and real estate agency Bayleys had been searching for a buyer.
Managing director Mike Bayley said rumours about the building's weather damage were exaggerated.
"Obviously when structures are exposed to the elements for an extended period of time, there is degradation," he acknowledged.
"I think there's been a lot of speculation in the marketplace around the potential degradation of the building and all I can say is it's not as far reaching as some may have speculated."
He said Bayley's listing had positive attention, and a shortlist of interested buyers had made it through to the second phase of the sale.
Bayley said they had until the August 28 to review the nitty gritty details of the building, including its wear and tear, then make a submission to become the final, preferred buyer.
"It'll then take a couple of weeks for the receivers to assess the depth and content of those offers before engaging with a preferred party or parties," he said.
"I think that's a fair assumption, that we will have a party or parties narrowed down [two weeks after the 28th of August]."
Despite wanting the tower gone, Judy Rawhiti said seeing it finished would be the next best thing.
"If someone came in and bought it and were prepared to pay all the extra for wear and tear, I'd be quite happy," she said.
"It'll make me feel better, having a better outlook and I can sort of look to the side... I definitely don't want it to be sitting there as it is now. I don't want it to fall on us."
Deputy mayor Desley Simpson said it was great to see movement on the long-stalled project.
She hoped the project would pick up quickly once a buyer was found.
"From Auckland's perspective we're backing a solution every step of the way and as soon as possible. My take would be, if this is all due at the end of August, I'm hoping for a conclusion pretty smartly after," Simpson said.
"I'm hoping to hear from them very promptly as soon as possible after the 28th of August."
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