Beath’s New Store In Ashburton

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29221, 3 June 1960, Page 13

Beath’s New Store In Ashburton

The new store of Beath and Company, Ltd., in East street. Ashburton, will be the first building in the South Island in which pre-stressed concrete elements will be used for all sections. The new store, of three storeys, and with office space to let on the two upper floors, is expected to be ready in four months. The building will have an exterior finish in smooth grey concrete. with V-joining between the panels, and windows and doors in natural-finish redwood timber. It will cost about £25,000 complete with all fittings. Its total area is 6800 sq. ft., with letting office space of 1730 sq. ft. The building will be completely erected from pre-cast and prestressed concrete wall, floor, and ceiling panels. The only concrete work done on the site will be the screened floors to the pre-cast floor units, and miscellaneous floors and minor items. Inside the shop, the pre-cast concrete wall and ceiling finish will be painted only, no further finish being required. Therefore, as the building is erected, it is at the same time finished. At least two. and possibly three, months are saved in erection time, and as the concrete units are factory made, delays from bad weather are eliminated. The interior of the shop has a ceiling on three levels, With wide

glass skylights between the levels, giving ample natural light. Shop fittings are constructed of steel rods and natural-finish timbers. The majority are fully flexible, and easily moved.

Heating of the building wri. be done by electric heating cables set into the concrete floor. The use of the pre-stressed concrete units as the finished wall surface the highly-decorative appearance of the structural units themselves, and the natural-finish of the timber combine to create the architectural character of the building without any applied finishes or further cost. The new store will have a smaller selling floor area than Beath’s present site in Tancred street.

The contractor for the new building is the Fletcher Construction Company, the architect, Mr P. J. Beaven, and the consulting engineer, Mr W. LovellSmith.