Medical Centre’s Gone; Bungalow’s Back

By Mike Shaw

What goes around, comes around, it seems, as a visit to this feature property at 258 Carrington St reveals in New Plymouth.

This home started life as a quality weatherboard bungalow of the late 1920s before beginning a mid-life career as the Vogeltown Medical Centre. The front rooms were converted into reception and office areas and the bedrooms became consulting rooms. More consulting rooms were added to the rear of the building in the 1990s.

The bungalow is back enjoying life as a home again after a major renovation project by a former Stratford couple, John and Laureen. John brings a personal cycle to the project, having qualified as a builder in his younger years before taking on the family farm for 35 years.

In retirement in New Plymouth, he revived his building skills to breathe new life into the Carrington St property. Not that he'd ever entirely lost touch with his inner builder: "When you are on farm, you are always building something."

In town, life posed a new challenge. "You can't come to the city and sit down and do nothing," he explains, with a smile. "I always said my building career was cut a bit short, so it's been really, really nice to pick up my tools again.

"Laureen's even allowed me to buy a few more new ones," he adds with another smile.

The couple looked around for a project and the Carrington St property proved just right for them.

"I could see it would be enough to keep me out of mischief for a while," John says. "It took a bit longer than I thought; the kids needed a bit of help with their houses, and fences, and decks, and in-between, this is where I lived."

His renovation work had some former patients puzzled. "Two people knocked on the door while I was working asking to see their GP," he recalls.

John's been creative in keeping the changes he has made sympathetic to the original bungalow style that the medical centre owners also committed to retaining. Period-style lights in the living areas are an example of that thoughtful approach - they were found in a demolition yard and refurbished for use here.

John found a kitchen in Tauranga with rimu trim that complemented the home's preserved rimu character detail. "It slotted in there quite well," he says, admiring the pleasing combination of the rimu trim and the rich burgundy colour of the cabinets.

He opened up the former reception and office spaces to create a large open-plan living area. It's a contemporary approach, but still looks good with the ornate plaster ceiling retained in the front half of the living area, and the rimu fireplace where a gas heater sits.

That's not the only heating choice here, John points out. He's enhanced the winter comfort in the house by adding a $10,000 ducted heat-pump system. "This should be a very cosy home in the winter now."

The extra consulting rooms became bedrooms after John added built-in wardrobes, so the home now boasts five bedrooms. And he's made sure the home has space in other areas to meet the needs of a larger family.

"You need a substantial bathroom in a five-bedroom home," he says, showing off the family bathroom with its shower, full-size bath and toilet.

Storage is another need in a larger home, so John also built in a capacious linen and storage cupboard in the hallway to the bedrooms.

The original formal lounge of the bungalow is now the master bedroom and careful use of the adjacent former toilet space of the medical centre allowed him to create an ensuite with a shower, vanity and toilet.

Garaging is something that was understandably missing in the home's medical centre identity, but John fixed that by building a double garage at the back of the property.

As a medical centre, sloping ramps made access easy at the front and rear doors and John and Laureen decided to retain them to keep the bungalow wheelchair-friendly.

The couple considered removing the sealed parking in the front yard and creating gardens, but they have decided that's something that new owners might want to plan themselves. "They might want to run a business from home and would like the parking available," John explains.

He says he has enjoyed this back-on-the-tools experience and is pleased with the end result. "Hopefully, a family will appreciate what we have done here."

The Carrington St location and proximity to schools, shops, parks and city should guarantee plenty of interest, family and more, in this property.

Phone Dianne today on 0800 434 872 for your personal appointment to view.

Negotiation Range $480,000 - $520,000