NEW BUILDING ERA

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 74, 20 December 1933, Page 10

NEW BUILDING ERA

Removal of City Landmark SOUND, BUT OBSOLETE The pending demolition of the Colonial Life Assurance Society's handsome building at the cornet of Customhouse Quay and Willis Street ushers in a new era of building progress in Wellington. Hitherto the buildings pulled down to make way for new ones have been, as a rule, wooden structures that have seen their day—in most cases relics from the Victorian era. But the razing of the Colonial Mutual building Is Qjjite another matter. , Here is a building a little over 49 years of age, solidly built of brick, three stories and basement, and a solid square tower, Well designed, and substantial in every way, this building would be good for another io years or more in the ordinary way, but the site on which it stands—said to be the centre of New Zealand—is much too valuable for such a building, and it will be replaced next year by a modern ten-storied structure, equipped with every convenience in the way of lighting, ventilation, elevators, and heating systems. The building about to be demolished was erected by Edwards and Palmer, builders and contractors, > a subcontract for the brickwork being let to Mr. W. A. Chote, of Wellington. Both the late Mr. Alec. Campbell, and his one-time partner, Mr. Dan Burke, were building apprentices on that job.