LINK WITH PAST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 173, 25 July 1939, Page 8

LINK WITH PAST.

OLD SHOPS SOLD. SHORTLAND ST. PREMISES.: RENOVATIONS TO BE MADE. Built in IPSO, one of the oldest block<>f in Auckland ha? changed hands' with the pun-hasp of three -hop- at 4iS. 48 and .".n. Shortland Street by Mr. 1,. Lichtenstein at a substantial price. It is intended to renovate the building- j and convert them into modern chops and j offices. Two of the buildings are at prc-ent I unoccupied, but the third is lea-ed to Mr. Harold Ix-e'-li. an art dealer, who trades under the name of his father. Mr. John Leech, who founded tlie Original b:i-ine--in h.Vi. Since the building was erected in Isso \l,-_ h. Leech has been the only I tenant. It is considered that ,">0 years in one .-hop must almost constitute a record. The renovations to be carried out will be under the supervision of Mr. Albert N. Noldwater. A. X.Z.1. A., who i- ;hc. architect, and the work, which wijl begin shortly, will extend over three or four months. A fair amount of demolition work wii] be entailed at the rear of the buildings and a comprehensive -chenie has I>>"mi ' drawn up for the improvements neei--. ' sary for modern shops and offi •"-. Wooden floors, of course, will \u> re- ! placed by concrete, the interior lining will !«.' ripped off and the walls iv-pla-tered. The front of the building wili j be underpinned and supported on a new j beam to give a wide frontage, and. a public entrance will be made betwve:: j the two lower sho|*s in the street, with i -tairs leading to the second storey and tlie basement. When the work is completed there | will be 14 or l.i oflice = . and the frontage j of the building is to be modernised ; n a new colour treatment. There will al-o be a suspended verandah. At present the shops represent a link with that older Auckland of history. In a long, box-like cavity set into the side j of the doorway at Mr. Leech's -hop are I held the shutters that, in the long ago. I were u-ed to hide the wares from the . gaze of tlie passers-by on Sundays an 1 j holidays. These heavy shutters are never seen nowadays. Mr. Leech will retain his occupancy of the shop when the building is renovated. He has no wish to break with the traditions of S4 years. The business was founded in 185.1 by his father, the first premises occupied being in High Street, j That street was burnt out in the great j tire of Is. - )-; and Mr. Leech, sen., shifted I to Queen Street, where the drapery linn of Smith and Caughey, Limited, now j stands. Then the firm transferred to I Shortland Street, occupying premises lower down towards Queen Street, and eventually renting the present premises. .