Kurt Gibbons— whose company Gibbons Co is behind more than 50 housing projects in New Zealand — is developing Five Mile Villas on two vacant blocks, either side of Hall St, by Remarkables Residences.
He’s selling 126 two-bedroom, two-level stand-alone homes on the open market and holding back the other 100 for long-term rentals.
Gibbons says at 5.5 metres wide, they’re wider than traditional townhouses, and all have private backyards accessed through large glass sliding doors.
The cheapest are selling for $854,000.
Purchasers can also pay $40,000 for a carpark, but buyers who sign up early can get one for free.
There are also communal drying rooms powered by solar panels.
He says council’s planning boss David Wallace and CEO Mike Theelen have been "really good".
Suzie Wigglesworth, Bayleys’ national director of residential projects, says "the early interest levels are indicating first-home buyer interest, which is great, ’cos that’s really what Queenstown needs".
She’s also expecting interest from out-of-towners wanting a lock-and-leave holiday home and investors who’d let them out.
"What we like about these homes is just some of the design aesthetics Kurt’s come up with, which I think are really complementary to Queenstown and the type of people who are going to hopefully make these their home."
