'Urban living': Ditch the garden, live a little
“It creates a bit of a talking point… In terms of this modern era [of apartments], there’s not much around [Invercargill]."
A few years ago, Matt Anderson-Stewart went in search of a new commercial base for his business.
Anderson-Stewart is an architectural designer; his business is MAS Architecture.
While he was on the lookout for a commercial space to lease, Anderson-Stewart actually ended up taking on an audacious project.
It’s a project that involves a style of living that may prompt a bit more thinking amongst many in Invercargill.
Instead of leasing a space Anderson-Stewart bought a piece of commercial real estate on King St in Windsor - close to the King St, Windsor St intersection.
“We weren’t planning to buy a commercial office… And it happened a lot quicker than we would have liked,” he says.
On reflection, he’s happy it did. Given if had he started the same project now the increased construction costs could have added more pressure.
The land was once home to an interior decorator. Anderson-Stewart has cleared the site and developed an office space facing onto King St with four attached apartments behind that.
It’s a type of ‘modern urban living’ that is scarce in Invercargill.
Although Anderson-Stewart believes it’s becoming a lot more appealing to many, and there are many parts of Invercargill where more “urban living” developments would work well for the city.
He says not everyone now wants to spend all weekend tending to their garden, then spend a brief moment admiring it, before heading off to work again on Monday.
It opens up many more opportunities in life while living in a low-maintenance environment.
“You’ve got student accommodation around like the SIT apartments in town, but in terms of modern private residential accommodation like this, it’s pretty limited in Invercargill.”
Building so close to a suburban hub like Windsor means residents are a walk away from a supermarket, physio, chemist etc.
While a garden area is out, the apartments are 250m away from Queens Park which somewhat makes up for that, with the added bonus of not having lawns to mow.
While its apartment living, each of the four apartments does include three bedrooms - one upstairs and two downstairs.
There’s also a double car garage downstairs with the living area and kitchen upstairs.
Each apartment is close to 200sqm in total, with lift and stair access.
Three of the four apartments have already been sold, the fourth is now on the market by tender. There is an April 20 closure date (unless sold prior).
Anderson-Stewart and his family have lived and breathed the project in recent years given he has played the role of both design architect and architect of the idea.
“I am proud. It’s quite cool to see it got from an idea to this. There’s been a few hard learnings on the way.
“In terms of satisfaction, it’s been cool. Everything I had on paper, and the idea, has worked…. In terms of the design principles, it’s worked out perfect.”
He says it has created plenty of interest in and around Windsor with people through the construction phase wanting to know more about what’s going on with the new apartments.
“People have knocked on the door asking if they can have a look. People are genuinely interested.
“It creates a bit of a talking point… In terms of this modern era [of apartments], there’s not much around [Invercargill]. It just gives something different to the community and the market which I think there is a bit of a gap for.”
As much as Anderson-Stewart is proud of what has been achieved he admits he’ll be pleased when the final touches are sorted, and he and others involved can move on. It includes getting the new office for his business MAS Architecture completed.