– Three historic Pahīatua buildings, including a bank, school, and hospital, are for sale around $3 million.
– The properties feature unique transformations, like a luxury apartment and character home, with prices starting at $555,000.
– Agents highlight Pahīatua’s community spirit and affordability compared to nearby Palmerston North.
It’s the Pahīatua version of Monopoly. Up for grabs in the small North Island town are the old bank, the old school, and the old hospital. Buyers can probably get all three for around $3 million and create their own historic village with some of the town’s oldest and most iconic buildings.
The three buildings have different owners, and their appearance on the market all at once is a complete coincidence.
The listings include:
– 106 Main Street, which was originally the town’s bank and then later a restaurant before being transformed into a luxury apartment;
– 29 Tyndall Street, which was established in the early 1990s as a school but was later turned into a character home; and
– 81861 State Highway 2, which was previously Pahiatua’s only hospital before its closure in 1998.
106 Main Street is being sold by Alison and Graeme Franklin, who have a 30-year-plus connection with the Art Deco building.
They bought the old Commercial Bank of Australia building in the early 1990s and have run two businesses from it, including a liquor store and a popular cafe and restaurant.
The detailed Art Deco ceilings are still a striking feature of the former Pahīatua bank building. Photo / Supplied
Graeme and Alison Franklin closed their hospitality businesses soon after Covid: “We were tired.” Photo / NZME
They were in the final stages of selling their hospitality businesses, the Black Stump Bar and Harrows Restaurant, when the Covid lockdowns torpedoed the deal they had been working on.
Alison told OneRoof that they were so worn down and in need of a break by that point that they decided to cease trading. “It was the best thing we ever did to be fair because we were getting older and we were tired.”
With the building empty once again, they decided to transform it into a high-end four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. The former bank vault became the kitchen, and the original bank building, with its detailed plaster ceiling, became the main lounge (Alison also loves pointing out to people that her laundry was once home to the restaurant’s urinals).
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The couple said they were selling up to move closer to family in Hawke’s Bay. Alison, who also serves on the town council, said they would miss the town and its people. “It’s been a lovely place to raise a family,” she said.
Tall Poppy listing agent Tammy Shanahan said the property was a labour of love and the type of home you’d find in Auckland’s high-end suburbs. “It’s the most amazing, amazing apartment. It is quite rare, though, for our little town.” It is looking for enquiries over $695,000.
Shanahan is also selling the old St Anthony’s School building at 29 Tyndall Street. The previous owner was a craftsman who turned the former schoolhouse into a four-bedroom, two-bathroom character home with polished floors, large windows, and a large deck.
The former St Anthony’s School on Tyndall Street, built in 1901, is also looking for a new owner. Photo / Supplied
The previous owner was a craftsman and lovingly converted the school into a character home. Photo / Supplied
“He’s made all those kitchen cabinets and repurposed a lot of things,” she said.
She added: “It’s going to suit someone who is a bit quirky and likes to be a little bit different and someone who loves character homes and wants to develop the grounds.” It is seeking enquiries over $555,000.
Also up for grabs is the former Pahīatua Hospital, which was built in 1902.
The building closed its doors to patients in 1998, and been run by the current owners as a hospitality and accommodation venue for almost a decade.
Cathy and Andy Vaughan have hosted countless events at sprawling site, now called Masters Hall, ranging from weddings to festivals, as well as housing contractors in the off-season.
Masters Hall sits on more than two hectares zoned for residential development. Photo / Supplied
“Probably one of the most memorable events was a medieval re-enactment,” Cathy told OneRoof earlier this year. Andy added: “We had about 100 people attend, dressed as Templar knights, Romans, Normans, and Saxons – the whole gamut.”
The property has also attracted the attention of paranormal investigators. “A couple of groups have come in with infrared cameras looking for ghosts,” Cathy said. “Before we took over, they detected quite a bit of activity. But after we had the place blessed and started living here, they said it felt peaceful and calm, which makes sense, as it was a place of healing.”
Property Brokers listing agent Patrick Baker said there had been plenty of interest in the building, which was priced by negotiation, had a good footprint on a good chunk of land.
Both Shanahan and Barker told OneRoof that Pahīatua was a great place to live and had an awesome community spirit and was a much more affordable option for people than nearby Palmerston North.