Majestic lobby transformation drives turnaround in perception

A comprehensive lobby refurbishment at Wellington's tallest building, the Majestic Centre, has helped it reclaim its place among the CBD’s top office addresses.

The tower, at 100 Willis Street, has secured significant lease renewals, tenant expansions and new leases following the completion of its lobby and end-of-trip refurbishment project, managed by CBRE on behalf of building owner Charter Hall.

The project has also reasserted the building’s status as a premium corporate address, at a time when the focus of the capital's commercial property market has been shifting to the northern end of the CBD.

The lobby refurbishment was the first stage in a comprehensive upgrade programme currently underway, including main building plant replacements and upgrades targeting a NABERS 4-5 star sustainability rating.

The eight-month project, completed in August 2025, transformed the 28-storey building's triple-floor height atrium lobby with a dramatically improved entrance experience, featuring native garden installations, premium contemporary finishes and a new café. 

The building’s new end-of-trip facilities, providing showers, lockers, bathrooms and dedicated parking for bikes, e-bikes and scooters, are widely regarded as among the best available in any Wellington commercial building.

Beth Holden, CBRE Senior Property Manager, said the transformation has positively influenced occupier sentiment at a critical time for the Willis Street precinct. 

“The dated lobby had long detracted from the building’s leasing appeal. What Charter Hall have delivered with this refurbishment is genuinely market-leading, and the occupier response has been the proof of its value.”

Lease renewals and expansions have been secured for around 13,550sqm of office space, representing 52% of the building's NLA, alongside new transactions across a further 2,250sqm, she said.

Lease deals were concluded with a diverse range of tenants including professional services firms, consultancies, government agencies, diplomatic offices and listed corporates, alongside retail and mixed-use occupiers. 

Holden said the building's dated lobby presentation had reinforced a perception of the Majestic Centre as a fringe asset, sitting in a lower quality grade than office buildings in the northern CBD precinct. 

“With Wellington's prime office market gravitating northward to the waterfront with the concentration of new development in that area, the Majestic Centre was increasingly viewed as a sub-prime asset. Now, with a welcome experience and end-of-trip facilities to rival any new building in the capital, this project has transformed the market’s view of the asset.”

The refurbishment was also the catalyst for securing a high quality new café in the lobby following a lease deal negotiated by Zoe Smith, CBRE Retail Leasing specialist. 

The Lab Café, run by one of Wellington's most experienced and respected operators, opened in the building's lobby in early 2026, bringing enhanced public activation to a space that had been without a café operator since the Covid period.

CBRE has managed the Majestic Centre on behalf of Charter Hall since 2022, acting as the Australian-based owner's full-service property and facilities management partner. 

The CBRE property and facilities management team managed all tenant communications, co-ordination between all parties involved and conflict resolution throughout the construction programme, allowing the fully occupied building to continue operating with minimal disruption to tenants and visitors.

The Majestic lobby refurbishment is the first stage of a multi-year capital investment programme for the asset. Planned works include replacement of the main mechanical plant, electrification of the base-build HVAC system and removal of the gas boiler, replacement of all 12 passenger lifts and four escalators and replacement of the main electrical switchboard and electrical infrastructure. On completion, Charter Hall is targeting a NABERS energy rating of four to five stars.

The project's success also has contributed to Charter Hall extending CBRE's property and facilities management contract for a further three years.