In the process of designing, selling and now building Outlook Mission Bay, we’ve discovered a passion for not only the building and all its personal touches, but also the area.

Martin Cooper, one half of the partnership that makes up Countrywide Residences, the developers behind Outlook Mission Bay, is a long-term resident of the Orakei ward but has himself been surprised at the commitment many of Outlook’s purchasers have to the neighbourhood.

It’s a privilege to live here really,” he says, “and to know that we are creating something that is already popular with the locals before it’s even out of the ground is really exciting. Some of the stories they tell us when they come to the display suite about the area and their connections to it are really amazing.

Martin Cooper – Countrywide Residences.

One such story is that of Glennis O’Connor, who casually dropped her connection to 236 Kepa Road into conversation at the display suite while looking at the plans.

Trent was explaining the layout of the apartments and asked, did I know the area at all? My reply was “oh yes, I grew up on this very piece of land!”

Mum and Dad moved from a two-bedroom state house in Godden Crescent, which is just around the corner, to a three-bedroom state house here at 236A Kepa Road. I enjoyed a wonderful Kiwi childhood growing up here with Mum and Dad and my younger brother.

Across the road where the shopping centre sits now were paddocks where cattle grazed, which ran down to a bush area which is now the Kepa Bush reserve. My brother and I would go gathering mushrooms in the paddocks and would play hide and seek in the bush with our friends. It’s lovely that children can still play in the same bush – that it’s been preserved as a reserve.

I lived at 236A until 1957 when as a young bride I left Mission Bay and the family home to get married.

Now, 60 years later, Glennis has brought her husband home with her to Mission Bay.

We had been looking to make a move for some time but weren’t entirely sure about buying off-the-plans. The purchasing process at Outlook Mission Bay was easy to follow and their communication was great, this meant that our minds were at ease throughout the whole buying experience.

Together they look forward to living on the exact same land that Glennis spent her happy childhood, only this time the cows have moved on to make way for Eastridge Shopping Centre and the view from their new, elevated apartment 403 will be a bit more spectacular than from the old 236A.

Welcome home, Glennis O’Connor!