NEW CITY BLOCK

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 147, 17 March 1933, Page 12

NEW CITY BLOCK

Corner of Brandon and Featherston Streets

TO COST OVER £16,500

The tender of Messrs. Higgins and Arens has been accepted by Messrs. Crichton, McKay and C. V. Haughton, architects, for the erection of a block of modern business premises to be built on the corner of Featherston and Brandon Streets, opposite Brandon House. On this block, which is a Citv Corporation leasehold, stood until recently the building formerly occupied by the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association, until the premises were partially consumed by fire over a year ago. To that block has been added the small adjoining section in Featherston Street, at present the site of a onestory wooden building and occupied as offices. The premises on the corner are now being demolished and in a few days’ time the whole area will be cleared. It will make a block 70ft. square—with 70ft. frontage to Featherston Street, and the same to Brandon Street. The whole area will be covered ultimately with a modern business block five stories in height, 'but for the present it is only proposed to build three stories, and an attic story, the latter to be itJsed when it is decided to add the final two stories provided for in the plans. Of reinforced concrete construction, the facade of the new building will be faced with variegated or mottled brick, while the window panels wili be separated by fluted pilasters, with ornamental-toned caps, which will extend from the first to the fourth floors. The ground floor is designed for six large shops of modern design—five on the Featherston Street frontage and one in Brandon Street. There will be a splayed-back entrance to the corner shop, and above that the corner of the whole building is recessed back at .right-angles for lighting purposes. The entrance vestibule to the elevator and stairway will be from the Brandon Street side. The building will have a flat roof. The parapet, which will extend about 3ft. above the roof line, is unadorned and without encumbrances. At last evening’s meeting of the City Council consent was given to a mortgage arranged by Featherston Chambers, Limited, with the Returned Soldiers’ Association in connection with the lease of corporation property at the corner of Featherston and Brandon Streets. • Plans submitted for the erection of a building on the site at a minimum cost of £16,500 were accepted.