OFFICE BLOCK OF 17 STOREYS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27441, 30 August 1954, Page 8

OFFICE BLOCK OF 17 STOREYS

AUCKLAND COUNCIL’S PLANS

LOAN OF £1,350,000 PROPOSED "The Press" Special Sequiee AUCKLAND, August 28. Sketch plans and estimates for a 17storey city administration building have been considered by the Auckland City Council’s finance committee. The committee will recommend the council to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for authority to raise £1,350,000 for the building. The City Engineer (Mr A. J. Dickson) has been asked to proceed urgently with working drawings. Strong representations will be made to the building controller to grant a permit “as a matter of urgency.” Measuring 224 feet high, 130 feet long and 48 feet wide, the building will have a general purpose ground floor, 16 office floors, and a cafeteria and recreation space on the seventeenth floor.

A roof garden area will be partly occupied by the caretaker’s flat and a private roof deck. There will be a generous basement area for peak period business in car registrations and other activities.

Six high-speed lifts and a service lift will run from the basements to the top floor. Gross office space on each floor will be 6300 square feet. The floor area will be 135,450 square feet, including 19,000 square feet in the basement At present the council occupies in various crowded buildings 54,850 square feet, excluding basement space. Thirteen floors will be required for council use, leaving four office floors in reserve and available for letting until required. Rent and upkeep of buildings it occupies now cost the council £53,830 a year. Outgoings on the new building have been assessed at £61,600.