In the throes of construction's grand crescendo, the final weeks of The Greenhouse are akin to an orchestra reaching the apex of a symphony. There's a buzz coursing through the site, a sense of anticipation and quiet satisfaction. It's a time when mini-milestones are hit every day, and the last-minute flourishes and meticulous touch-ups seem to elevate the project to the very heavens. The energy is electric.

The Greenhouse, Ockham's magnum opus, a building that's been painstakingly nurtured through two years of construction, gestated over five years in the planning stages and, one could argue, simmering in the dreamscape of Ockham co-founder Mark Todd for decades — this is the moment. For The Greenhouse will be pretty much finished by Christmas.

“Envision this as the Olympic marathon,” says Greenhouse supremo, JD Deely. “We’ve dashed across the city, and now we’re inside the stadium for that last lap. It’s the home straight, the crowd are in a ferment and on their feet.”

But this is Ponsonby, where the audience is more reserved, a tad sophisticated. So, in this fanciful sprint, there’s no raucous cheering – “Greeeeeen. House! Greeeeeen House!” – just the soft rumble of last works.

JD, with a gleam in his eye, continues: “Everyone’s banding together for the final push. It’s been an exhilarating but exhausting few weeks.”

The current status? “The apartments themselves are 99% ready, though it’s that last 1% – the final paint touch-ups and commissioning – that make all the difference.

“The ground floor retail space and lobby fit-out is coming together, while the corridors get their final flourish with the installation of carpet, tiles, and metalwork.

“We’re right in the thick of finalising the buildings services,” JD continues. “We’re hoping to get our final council sign-off before Christmas, then we'll submit for our Code Compliance Certificate (CCC).”

The last, last bits

So, what comes next? “Well, we’ll take a short breather between Christmas and New Year’s,”  but we’ll be straight back into it moments after the last lines of Auld Lang Syne are sung. Straight into defecting.”

Ah, ‘defecting’– a meticulous process of spotting and fixing any issues, like a detective with a magnifying glass. Starting with the obvious glitches, then moving onto the finer details once the power’s on. And finally an external consultant will do a thorough 'snagging’ of the apartments, ensuring everything’s up to scratch. 

And then the final, final, final ceremony – the grand opening. When can we expect this?

Mark February in the calendar.