All Rights Reserved | Quarry Capital
Against a backdrop of Covid-19 enforced lockdowns and supply-chain uncertainty, a 1.33 hectare site in Sawyers Bay, Dunedin, has transformed into a state of the art $16.75m industrial warehouse and office facility over the past 10 months. The Duke Street Limited Partnership, managed by Christchurch-based property syndicator, Quarry Capital Limited (‘Quarry’), is proud to hand the keys over to tenant Hilton Haulage (‘Hilton’) today as Hall Brothers and Thompson Construction and Engineering complete the final touches.
The 7,700m2 development is the culmination of a long-term vision to support both Quarry and Hilton’s growth aspirations, continuing a strategic relationship between tenant and landlord. The purchase has been modelled on a flexible fund-through approach which has benefitted both parties.
The $10.1m of equity raised by Quarry from its existing wholesale investor base as well as new wholesale investors (within the meaning of clauses 3(2), 3(3)(a) and 3(3)(b) of Schedule 1 of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013) has been used to purchase the land, demolish the existing building and contribute toward funding the construction. The tenant has handled the project management responsibilities including full compliance during construction.
David Kitson, Managing Director of Quarry, saw the same potential in the site’s location due to the proximity to Port Otago and the two companies began collaborating on the project in 2020.
David says:
“the experience and capability of the tenant has ensured the process has exceeded expectations from start to finish. Trust and communication have underpinned the project’s success and we are excited for Hilton to move in, as well as show our investors the impressive facility they have funded and now own”.
Wholesale investors in the Duke Street Limited Partnership invested funds in two equal instalments in March and in June and received a cash distribution for their investment between 1 April and 31 October and now receive a 7.0% pre-tax cash distribution from rental income which commenced 1 November. The property syndicate, the fifth managed by Quarry, attracted 63 investors from around the country. Hilton has taken a 12-year lease with 2 further rights of renewal.
The fund-through model allows a developer to complete a project which is funded by the syndicate based on pre-agreed milestones. This model replaces the need for the developer to seek bank funding. The purchase price, which is paid through progress payments, is equivalent to the valuation as if complete. Any development profit (less funding costs) is retained by the developer, who also takes responsibility for the development risk.
Quarry has the skills to design and deliver flexible fund-through solutions for experienced developers due to its ability to think outside the box, work collaboratively with various stakeholders and raise capital from qualified investors. Quarry can also work alongside potential tenants seeking a property partner.