Old Napier Courthouse bought by Stuart Nash – plans for family home, airbnb
The old Napier courthouse on Marine Parade has been bought by Former Labour Cabinet Minister and long-time Napier MP Stuart Nash, who plans to use it as his family home, with a section of it operating as an Airbnb.
Late last year, Nash listed his 1915s five bedroom/two bathroom family home on Bluff Hill family home for sale.
Speaking to Hawke’s Bay App today, Nash said the building, which has been the local Department of Conservation office for the past 35 years, would be his family home, but the bottom left wing will be used as an Airbnb. The house is more than 1100 square metres.
The building, which was one of few to survive the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, was built in 1875. Nash and his wife, Sarah, has bought the building for an undisclosed sum.
Since being DoC’s local headquarters, the building was part of a Treaty of Waitangi settlement for Mana Ahuriri. The Trust put it on the market last year.
Nash says the property is in good shape inside, but just needs some refurbishment to put in more residential style housing
“There's a kitchen we're going to overdo. Get a bathroom to the Airbnb, but all this is done in conjunction with local builders and architects, the council, and of course Heritage New Zealand so that eventually the kids will get the property.”
Settlement date for purchase of the property is 30 May or earlier as per agreement with the vendor.
Nash says his Bluff Hill House has attracted a lot of interest, but no offer yet.
“We've had a few people through a few times. So, you always get tyre-kickers when a place is for sale, and certainly this one which is... in its day when it was built, it was built out of concrete. And that was by far the most expensive building material back in the day.”
“So, it's a grand old house, and it's a fantastic family home in the sense that it's got a big pool, it's got a big, grassed area, it's got an area for kids to learn to skateboard and ride bikes and things.”
Asked if his new property had a pool or lawn, Nash said that was no issue as Ocean Spa was just across the road.
