NEW CIVIC BLOCK

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 189, 12 May 1928, Page 9

NEW CIVIC BLOCK

“SANE, SOUND PROPOSALS”

THE MAYOR’S COMMENTS

TREMENDOUS POSSIBILITIES

Very general interest has been created by the report of the special committee of architects on the lay-out of the city municipal buildings, the text of which appeared in yesterday’s "Dominion.”

' When consulted as to his views on the report, the Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup), who is a constructional engineer by profession, said that he considered the report an exceedingly valuable one, not only in that the council’s advisers had shown wide vision, but also in that the proposals were so practical and possible of achievement . from the financial aspect. The scheme would not throw any increased burden upon the city, for large blocks of city land of which nothing like full use was being made at the present time would be available for leasing. That was the greater part of the land in the block bounded by Mercer Street, Jervois Quay, Harris and Victoria Streets. Of that area the Jervois Quay and Wakefield Street frontages were leased but between them lay frontages of 4OU feet to Mercer Street and 2(0 feet to Harris Street, and the rentals obtainable would be sufficient to meet charges upon a very large sum of borrowed money—a very large sum indeed.

Work Can Be Done In Instalments. “The scheme also has the very great advantage of being one that can be proceeded with in stages, so pretenting any great disorganisation, _ either with regard to staff administration work or with the work of the various firms whose businesses may be interfered with, and in that provision can be made by proceeding with a part to meet the urgent demand for immediate provision of additional accommodation for tne staff. Recently the council had to secure such additional accommodation in a privately-owned building, involving considerable rental expenditure. „ “At the back of the lown Hall, continued Mr. Troup, “is an empty space on which the first section of the administrative block can be built, and there is no reason why this should not be proceeded with at quite an early date. Before this can be done, however, _ the scheme for the whole of the administraj tive block will have to be .prepared, and any alterations to the front of the Town Hall to bring it into consonance with the block as a whole will also have to be considered. Whatever portion of the administrative block is commenced will, of course, be in accord with the complete design. . . . "The second portion of the administrative block to be proceeded with would be the adjacent land occupied by. the (Education Board, and the third portion that occupied by the city library, but to begin with those two latter blocks need not necessarily be altered, as the_ accommodation already there could, with slight adaptation, be made to suit ofiice requirements of the various staffs for tiie time being. A Seven-story,Building.

“Later on these blocks could also be altered,” continued Mr. Troup, 'these alterations again ' being part of the completed design, which probably will be one for buildings of seven stories or more,in height. In. their report the architects suggest additions to the Town Hall of one or two; stopes,—and this should provide still further accommodation, and with the full scheme completed provision will be made for the next thirty years. . “The proposal is, of course, that when the scheme is attained by. this evolutionary process all city offices will be located in this single, central civic building. There can be no question of the desirability of such an arrangement.

Provision for Open Spaces.

“I feel particularly pleased also,” continued Mr. Troup, “with the suggestion made by the advising architects to leave an open space in front of the Town Hall and between the Town Hall and the new library, on the land bounded by Lower Cuba and Wakefield Streets and Jervois Quay. This will not only provide an additional park m the middle of the citv, but it will throw open the Town Hall so that it may be seen from a considerable distance, creating that feeling of atmosphere and repose which should be associated with our main civic buildings, at present blocked in on all sides and in a setting- that is far from what it should be. This open space, moreover, will give a natural and admirable setting for the new library. The space for future memorials suggested m the report is, to my mind, excellent, as are also the axial lines proposed, the latter being a very difficult matter to arrive at on blocks so irregularly laid out. “The carrying ot of the open space and library proposals,” said Mr. Troup, “would mean that the Fire Brigade station and the Jervois Quay sub-station would have to be transferred elsweliere. ’ The present proposal in regard to -the fire station, he intimated, was that it should be moved over Jervois Quay to the sites now occupied by the Star ana Wellington Clubs, the leases of which premises expire in about a years time The council was anxious that m any building which might replace the present club sheds accommodation should be provided for the clubs, for in no other part of the harbour, on account of the prevailing winds, was there another spot which was really suitable for their purpose. However, that was his opinion only, and he did not wish to say anything which would commit the council, which had received the report only last night, and had not yet discussed the several important proposals in other than a hurried fashion. A way out would be found, satisfactory he hoped, to all concerned. Tremendous Possibilities.

“One can visualise what a vast improvement to the city’s central area the carrying out of these plans will effect, continued Mr. Troup. “The possibilities are tremendous,-and there are few blocks in the city’s business area, there are none, iu fact, which will compare with

lt "“Let us look ahead a few years and we will realise how Wellington is progressing. This is one of three great schemes for public buildings. On Mount Cook is to be built the Dominion Museum and Art Gallery, and the National War Memorial and Carillon; when completed the Parliamentary Buildings will be a splendid example of public building architecture; there is the possible reconstruction of the Government departmental buildings, and there is this splendid civic block. “Wellington, then, as far as pubhe buildings are concerned, will stand out supreme. Moreover, these fine buildings will have, I am sure, a far-reaching effect uiion the minds of our people. They' will help greatly in creating a spirit of civic pride that is most desirable. Wellington is a very fine city; such buildings will help us all to realise it the better.”