History

Urban Partners has been connecting people and property for more than 30 years. Our history spans two generations, during which time we've built a reputation for taking the long view on commercial property development and investment.

Originally called Retail Holdings, we are a privately held company with an enviable track record of delivering the highest quality projects. Retail Holdings was the brainchild of Haydn and Mark Staples. The two brothers ran a flourishing retail business in the 1970s, acquiring a number of the premises they were operating out of and sowing the seeds for their future legacy in retail property investment.

Born out of Haydn and Mark's experience as tenants and business owners, the company's philosophy was to focus first on the needs of the end users of the properties they invested in - the people who visited the shops, restaurants and entertainment precincts they developed. If the end users enjoy the experience, the tenants' businesses will thrive, resulting in quality long-term revenue for the property owner. That underlying philosophy continues to be the foundation of the business today.

In 2014, we changed our name to Urban Partners to reflect our vision of transforming urban spaces into visionary places for generations to come. While our name has changed, our core values and philosophy have not. We remain committed to working with communities to create  a sense of place, while creating value for our customers through considered long term investment.

Since 1983, we've been investing in properties whose true potential may not be easily recognised by others - developing them over time through quiet exploration and persistence. History has shown that we understand the fundamentals that drive the property industry, so you can be assured that you're in safe hands, and we continue to attract and retain great people with a depth of experience that has made us a leader in property investment in New Zealand. 

From vision to realisation, Urban Partners connects people and property.