A FINE WAREHOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1020, 9 January 1911, Page 3

A FINE WAREHOUSE.

UNIQUE FEATURES. THE "SKY-SCRAPER" SYSTEM. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., is now in full occupation of tho large and handsome warehouse premises that havo been in course of erection during tlio last six months at the far end of Thermion Quay. The contract, which was entered into at the beginning of last April, involved ail expenditure of nearly .£17,000, and when it is considered that large quantities of material had to bo specially imported from tho Old Country tho work must be classed as one of tho most" speedily executed in this city. Tho contractors, Messrs. Campbell and Burke, must have used uncommon diligence and dispatch to enable them to hand over the premises to the Loan Company in time for tho January wool sales.

The building occupies a section having a frontage of 14S. feet to Thorndon Quay,, close to the tramway terminus, and aj depth of 110 feet. It comprises three iloors and a basement, and is constructed entirely 011 tho skeleton steel frame, or "sky-scraper" principle. The basement (140 feet by CO feet) is under tho back portion of the structure, advantage being taken of tho slope ot. tha ground from front to rear.

Tho ground floor is served by three "cart docks placed at equal distances along tho front. From each dock a Link elevator raises the wool to the upper floors. These aro the first elevators of the kind erected in New Zealand. Part of tho ground floor is concreted for the storage of hides, skins, etc. This portion measures SOft. by 45ft., and other portions are specially arranged and divided oft' for manure (iSGft. by 40ft.) and seeds (36ft. by 22ft.). The remainder of the ground floor is designed for tho reception of tho company's heavier merchandise, which can b9 conveyed from the front to the rear of the .building by a "traveller." In addition to this, and tho Link elevators already' mentioned there are shoots and electric hoists fur the distribution of tho goods oyer all parts of the building and to facilitate collection and dispatch. The first floor is a large open area which may bo used for the storage of grain or wool as occasion requires. The top floor, which is specially intended as a showroom for the wool, is also one great undivided area, and is toplighted by means of a roof of . the wellknown "saw-tooth" construction, which gives au even distribution of light over the whole floor.

The architects found, in making tests for the foundations, that the natural bed of rock lay about 10 feet below the level of Thermion Quay, and they identified the old shelly beach, which, about 15 years ago, lay adjacent to the Hutt railway lino at that spot. The front of the building is directly over the pioneer road to the Hutt, which lies about 8 feet below the surface. This is believed to be the largest building on the complete American steel frame system in New Zealand. The foundation consists of massive concrete piers, each of which carries one of the great steel stanchions which aro the principal members of the frame. ' The whole of the frame was set up and riyeted together beforo tho brick-work was commenced at the ground level. A beginning could have been made with the brickwork at either of the upper floors, instead of at the ground level, if the contractors had. had any motive for doing so. The weiriit of each story is carried by the stanchions, the brick walls being merely a curtain enclosure and much thinner than would be necessary under ordinary methods of construction. It is obvious that a saving of floor-space is thus effected, and it is claimed that the building is much better fitted to withstand the effects of earthquakes.

The front elevation is of brick and is of a design which, while not unduly ornate, is dignified and harmonious.

The architect* of the building wore Messrs. Turnbull and Son. The toTs i werer. Messrs.' Campbell and Burke,' and Mr. J. Short was clerk of works. The Link e'evators were supplied and erected by Messrs. Chambers rnrl Snn. Ltd., and tho electric motors and lighting apparatus by Messrs. Turnbull aud .Tones. The sub-eon'reetors were Messrs. •Tudd and Rai»'a]l, and the plastering was done by Mr. Emeny.