Government Life Buys Buildings In Square

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29058, 21 November 1959, Page 12

Government Life Buys Buildings In Square

A quarter-acre site in the north-west corner of Cathedral square has been purchased by the Government Life Insurance Office.

Three three-storey buildings are on the site and demolition of one of them—the former Embassy Theatre—will be carried out very soon.

The price for the block has not been disclosed but it is undoubtedly the biggest mid-city property deal to have taken place for some years.

The area of land to be left vacant by the destruction of the Embassy Theatre will be used as a parking lot. Further intentions of the insurance office were not given yesterday by the Christchurch district manager, Mr C. M. Shadbolt. The vendors are Clark s (Cathedral Square), Ltd., the owners of the theatre, and other members of the Clark family. The other two buildings are occupied by offices and a tearoom. , . The corner- building has been occupied by the Government Life Insurance Office as a tenant since last century. To the west is the property known as the Black and White Building after the tearooms that used to occupy the ground floor. Two floors of offices are above. The total area of the land involved in just under a quarter acre. “It Is the intention of the purchasers to proceed with the demolition of the Embassy Theatre in (he near future and use the land for off street parking,” Mr Shadbolt said yesterday. > The vendors’ solicitor, Mr D. A. Buchanan, said that possession would be given immediately. The portion of the property facing south was built in 1881. It was modernised by Mr J. G Collins, an architect, about 25 years ago. The Government-occupied building on the corner was designed by Collins and Harman for the Clark family and built-in 1893 The area the Government Life Insurance Office was to lease was built to the requirements of the department. ’ The Embassy Theatre was

Christchurch’s oldest cinema known for most of its life as the Grand. It closed in July after more than 45 years of screening films. It was designed by Mr Collins for Mr Charles Clark with provision for conversion to offices when the motion picture “passing phase” ended. In August the City Council gave permission for the .building to be used for off-street parking of motor vehicles. The owners said at the time they were paying more than £lOOO a year in rates on the property.