The Great Otara Buy Back

If you didn't know a large majority of the town centre is owned by different owners, many who don't live in NZ. One big lot of the town centre is currently on the market and already there has been interest in it again but by overseas buyers.

https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1199475940

This is our opportunity to take it back and put it back in local hands. The current owner "And Yes they live Overseas" has had this building for YEARSSSSSS and if you know how the town centre works it's very hard to get the overseas buyers to sell up and if they do, they get purchased just as quick again by YES international buyers. We can and we need to take back ownership of these buildings and it's certainly worth a shot. Before we get started I am keen to hear from ANYONE who believes in giving this a shot and wants to jump on board to make it happen and essentially be part of the team to see this through as I don't know everything! Lawyers, people in the know about commercial real estate etc. I have already met with the agent and have the majority of the paper work and info for this lot but I had to sign a NDA to get it so if there are serious Otarians who are lawyers etc and want to get on board please let me know so I can inform the agent and have the info disclosed to more people where necessary to get things checked and moving on this.

You know why some of those building are so run down and not maintained and why we have such inconsistency with shops!.... because the owners are not vested in this community and many don't live here so it's Profit over People.

So this all started with a local Maori girl born and raised in Otara who for years has seen the Otara town centre slowly deteriorating in slow and subtle ways. The condition of the most visible parts of the town centre, choice of shops put in the centre over the years and amount of the same were just some of the concerns but it was difficult to see change when the ones who owned the majority of those shops were International owners and often ones who did not live here or care. Our town centre is a vital part to our community thriving and we need to start taking notice of it.

So carrying on... this Maori girl started to dream, what if we could start a crowd funding campaign to purchase the town centre back bit by bit and secure it back into local hands who have a real vested interest and care for this community and where changes could actually be made.

Kinda like.... Surprise early Merry Christmas Otara!!! :)

So after the classic "Let's do a post and see who else thinks this is a crazy but possible idea" here we are, and here it goes! :) Hopefully it's not 'too little too late'.

SOME MORE DETAILS...

The C.V is 5.8 million dollars and it is a freehold building on 1.737m2. Sounds like a lot, but it's just a couple of 3 bedroom homes in Auckland ((people tell me :)) That's $1000 for 6000 people, or $400 for 15000 people and so on. Doable we reckon. I'd personally be up for a $1000 without question. Otara breeds individuals who are proud of this community and understand it for what it really is and I believe those of Otara from the old to the new whether they are still living here or around the world will understand this crazy call to action and be part of making something unbelievable crazy but possible happen.

We will gift it to a suitable trust to manage with no single person profiting but that any future profits go directly back into our community, purchase of other buildings if they come up in the town centre, and encouraging local entrepreneurship etc. The bottom line for this project is that this building is off the market permanently and back in local hands where it needs to be and stay. People over Profits!

Not really the time for political aspects of this or relying on 'the government'. Even our NGO's can't mobilise in this timeframe. It might simply be vote with your feet before the opportunity passes.

WHERE TO...

As pledges and attention for this picks up, larger public entities will more than likely be keen to talk about ways to get behind it. That would be very cool, but it starts with everyday person :)

We are glad to offer you this opportunity to tangibly express your vision for the Otara Town Centre, and live out values many hold and want to pass on, please support it with pledges and sharing the dream.

'LETS DREAM BIG OTARA!' :) We can do this!