New apartment building 59 France oozes coolness, from the brick exterior on the lower floors that is reminiscent of the Meatpacking District in New York to the lightbox images in the lifts. The corridors are low-lit and moody and one stairwell is bright orange, while the other features a nine-storey wall that is dotted with gritty art. The apartment interiors are raw and exposed, creating a modern, urban feel, with black kitchens that speak to today’s trends.

Developers Kelly McEwan and Steve Groves have been business partners for 20 years and good mates for longer. They met as toddlers – their parents were friends – and have been part of Uptown all their lives. As young kids, they played in the abandoned brick buildings, long since gone, on Symonds St. 

It’s this remembered childhood that provided the inspiration for the building that sits on the old Kings Arms Tavern site.

“We wanted to create that sense again with 59 France – and we'll probably do something quite similar in the next project in Uptown, because it works in this area,” says Kelly.

The apartments have been designed to use every inch of space. “We’re really focused on maximising the layouts, so we don’t have corridors, or the corridors are walk-through wardrobes into the bathroom. Every room tends to be interconnected and fewer corridors means less wasted space,” says Kelly.

They worked with Paul Brown & Associates to design the building and Paul liked it so much, he has purchased an apartment and most of the ground floor for his architecture practice. 

“We have a really constructive relationship,” says Steve. “He’s a very commercial architect, he realises it needs to get built, it needs to work and he’s not precious about hanging on to a particular concept.” The development process is highly collaborative.

“We initially present a few images, and bandy ideas around and drive it until we get the outcome we want,” says Kelly. “We bounce really well off of each other. Everyone is exactly on the same page.”

Reputation is important for Steve and Kelly and is why they created Urban Collective. They stand behind their work and intend to be around for a long time, shaping the urban landscape and skyline of the city fringe. Kelly runs the development side and Steve manages sales, including the procurement of new sites.

Kelly says constructing durable buildings with low maintenance costs is a high priority. “Our buildings are very unlikely to have any exterior maintenance needs. Brick is quite an expensive material and has an enduring quality that doesn't date. 59 France is a very solid building, it’s going to last a very long time.”

Steve and Kelly are hands-on in all aspects of the business, from design through to selling the end product. Unlike most developers who only engage real estate agents, Steve sells all the apartments either directly or assisting the agents. The duo’s connection with their buyers drives to the heart of their great reputation. 

“We like to do the right thing and that’s being around and available to our buyers after they have moved in,” says Steve. 

“We back what we build,” adds Kelly.

One of their favourite jobs is personally handing over titles and keys to new owners and showing them through their finished apartments. They estimate 200 people will live in 59 France, adding to the vibe of Uptown.

“There’s lots of interesting people moving in, it’s a real mix, from people replacing their big homes to young people starting out,” says Steve. “One of the more satisfying aspects of being a developer is creating a community. We are not just building a building, people have to love living here and create their own community.” 

Their passion for the city fringe area is evident by the number of buildings they can list as their work. 59 France is their 58th project. It is their second-biggest building at nine floors, with two floors of car parking and 108 apartments, including two penthouses. They are delighted that 40% of the purchasers didn’t require a car park, opting instead to use public transport and share-riding services. 

“For us, Uptown is the definition of city fringe,” says Steve, “and there are great facilities here. The train stations are being built, there are bus routes and it’s $5 to anywhere in a taxi.” 

“That’s the beauty of the city fringe, everything is at your doorstep,” adds Kelly. “Instead of sitting in cars commuting, you can use that time more constructively.” 

The site was a controversial sale, making news headlines as yet another live music venue closing down in Auckland. Renowned publican Maureen Gordon wanted to sell the Kings Arms as a going concern, but in the end it was the land that was most valuable. However, Maureen liked the design of 59 France so much, she was in the process of purchasing an apartment for herself. Sadly, she passed away before this could be realised. 

“Both her son and grandson purchased an apartment,” says Steve. “It turns out Matt, Maureen’s grandson, has bought an apartment right where he used to live as a university student.”

The Gordons will soon get to meet their fellow 59ers. Steve and Kelly are kicking off the community with a meet-the-neighbour event and once Covid levels allow, they’ll be throwing a party for all the owners.