Once home to the Salvation Army’s Wellington City Corps but now humming as a vibrant live music venue, the substantially upgraded former citadel on Vivian Street, along with an adjoining building fronting Jessie Street and a dual access bare development site, are for sale.

The combined offering at 2-8 Jessie Street, and 92 and 96 Vivian Street in the city’s creative and commercial hub near the intersection with Taranaki Street, has a 1,775sqm land area and supports 2,360sqm of buildings with a 70-percent new building standard rating.

Partially occupied by the recently opened Meow Nui live music venue, which utilises the citadel component as an auditorium and the first floor of the connected four-level office building as a hospitality area, there are two remaining vacant office floors. The property also has ground level car parking for 11 vehicles along with storage space.

The undeveloped 800sqm dual-access site could be used for additional car parking, but offers significant future development potential with the City Centre zoning having a 42.5m height limit overlay under the Wellington City Council 2024 district plan. This would allow for a substantial mixed-use or residential project.

The property generates an existing strong rental income of $374,050 (gross) per annum from Meow Nui, on a six-year lease from March 2025, with four six-year rights of renewal. The whole property has a potential net income of circa-$625,000pa plus GST if fully leased.

Mark Walker, Sarah Lyford and Fraser Press of Bayleys Wellington Commercial are taking the property through a comprehensive tender campaign closing 12th March.

The building has undergone a major upgrade to remediate earlier issues, along with a comprehensive refurbishment by Meow Nui, and represents a rare opportunity to acquire a secure, income-producing asset with considerable upside, says Walker.

“It could suit an owner-occupier looking to take the vacant office levels and collect income off the hospitality component, then unlock the value inherent in the bare site which could potentially be subdivided off.

“Equally, a developer will appreciate the well-located bare land which could support a circa-12-storey accommodation project with activation to the street at ground level.

“With development fundamentals coming back into line, a proactive buyer could leverage the ongoing shortage of inner-city housing with a high-rise residential tower, perhaps with some commercial accommodation in the mix.

“The long-term lease agreement also offers security and stability for investors who could look to lease up the vacant space and decide down the track what to do with the potential development land.”

Walker says Meow Nui is Wellingtons latest entertainment venue spearheaded by Damian Jones and Rahine O’Rielly, who also own Meow on Edward Street.

“They’ve completely transformed the interior of the former citadel, which has the original striking exposed timber trusses and soaring ceiling, into a comprehensive multipurpose venue with capacity for 1,000,” he says.

“It’s a dedicated venue catering to mid-tier audience numbers which will open Wellington up to more touring artists and fill a gap in the city’s live music market.”

The property was built in 1990, and the Salvation Army exited the site in 2022.

It was designed by architects Warren and Mahoney, who received the 2016 Wellington Architecture Award for Enduring Architecture, a category that recognises buildings that are at least 25 years old and that have continuing relevance. The judges deemed the Citadel was a building that “still sings loud”.

Underpinned by connectivity advantages and proximity to the CBD, Lyford says Te Aro continues to be a sought-after city location for commercial investors and occupiers, with tight supply supporting stable rents. Neighbours of the subject property include Prefab, Briscoes, Ramada, Moore Wilsons and The Paddington low-rise terrace housing development on Taranaki Street.