One of the next projects for Cooper & Co’s Auckland Britomart site will be a state-of-the-art mixed-use building on a similar scale to the EY Building and Westpac on Takutai Square.
The future Britomart Central Building will complete the fourth side of Takutai Square and be integrated with the public spaces of the square.
The $1 billion 6.5ha Britomart project is founded on a public-private collaboration between Cooper and Auckland Council. Cooper is the asset and development manager for the Britomart Group, which holds a contract for the long-term ownership and development of the Britomart Precinct.
Besides Britomart, Cooper’s real estate activities include Bay of Islands heritage and conservation property The Landing and master-planned Texas town centre Southlake Town Square.
Cooper and Co also manages a hospitality business offering luxury private accommodation at The Landing Residences. In addition, the company manages Arena Car Park (near Britomart) which provides event parking for shows at Vector Arena.
The Kaitaia-raised son of a truck driver, international developer Peter Cooper is of Ngati Kahu, Ngati Kuri and Te Aupouri descent.
His company has not limited itself to development in New Zealand.
Founded in 1989, it is a private investment company with offices in Newport, California and Texas as well as Auckland and he spends his life travelling between the three cities.
In Texas the company is halfway through developing the multi-billion-dollar 130ha Southlake Town Centre, an open-air mini city near Dallas. It mimics traditional downtown areas.
The company also specialises in private equity, with a focus on financial services and energy solutions.
Mr Cooper has also invested in philanthropic projects – establishing the Britomart Arts Foundation, giving it initial seeding of $1 million and donating works by New Zealand artists. He has also donated $74 million to Georgetown University in Washington. He and his wife Susan are the parents of five of the university’s graduates.