A HANDSOME CITY BLOCK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 775, 26 March 1910, Page 14

A HANDSOME CITY BLOCK.

: ; Among the'several'large 1 buildings approaching completion in that central city' business area that lies between Lambton and Customhouse Quays, none occupies a more commanding position nor is more impressively conspicuous than Baker's Buildings, .erected at the corner of Hunter and Featherston Streets, and consequently only one block away from the wharves and General Post Office. The building, which has been . erected for Mr. F. Arnold Baker, of' London (a beneficiary under the:will of the late-Mr. W. 'M. Bannatyne).;is• a:handsome' six-storied 'structure. "It : has; a frontage of 65ft. to Featherston Street and 61ft. to Hunter Street, and is pretty nearly a perftc l, cube.' It is substantially built in brick with a stucco finish and a nice taste has been displayed in the design of the windows, whioh are large and numer•'ous, giving a good ev§n light on each flat.. This is really a feature of the .building,'-.made possible, of • course,• by.. 'theMbig;double.frontage.. • The ground' floor consists of a fino shop with a'corner'entrance, that looks out on to the busiest part of Lambton Quay. The dimensions of the shop are /

'48ft.; by• : '44ft., 'aid' it 'is lighter by great'plate-glass show windows, which extend from the ceiling to: within a few inches of the ground. The first floor is of reinforced concrete, and all 'floors have been'left undivided in order 'that tenants may, be accommodated according to their' requirements. The main entrance to the: upstairs floors is on the northern, extremity of the Featherston Street frontage, where doublo doors admit to a stairway, and an electric passenger lift. There is also a cart dock, and an.electric goods lift on the.Hunter Street frontage. The roof is of asbestos tiles, with.two ornamental ventilator turrets to' break up the .sky-line. There are strong-rooms i on each floor. ■

Baker's Buildings have been erected by Messrs. Jas. Trevor and Sons, from the 'design of Messrs. , Penty and Lawrence. The sub-contractors were: 'Plumbing,, Mr. Andrew Jack, of Palmerston North; painting, Messrs. Jackjson and Co.;.electric ught'wiring and h fittings, Messrs. Cederholm and Tolley; electric lifts'(Arch. Smith and 1 Stevens') Mr. Moult. The cost' of the building I was about £12,000. -7