G.P.O.’s FIFTH STORY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 285, 29 August 1935, Page 11

G.P.O.’s FIFTH STORY

More Accommodation to be Provided

DOMED TOWERS DOOMED

Tenders are to close on September 17 for the erection of an additional story to the General Post Office in Featherston Street. When the capacity of the G.P.O. was doubled in 1912 it was considered that there would be sufficient room for the expansion of the next half-century. That lias scarcely proved to be the case. The fact that the existing G.P.O. is more than fully occupied may not be altogether due to the normal growth of postal and telegraphic business, although that lias been considerable; the Post and Telegraph Department is one which is always having new duties thrust upon it, as for example the collection of the unemployment tax, radio fees and the handling of motor-car registration. Such new activities demand staff, and its members must be accommodated in such a manner that they can do their work efficiently. •

The gradual pressure has made it necessary for the department to provide more office accommodation, and in order to do so the Government architect (Mr. J. Mair) has designed an additional story of light fabrics which is to be placed on the flat roof of the existing four-story building in Featherston Street. That is to say the new tstory does not extend over that older half of the block on the Customhouse Quay side.

Except from an elevation the additional story will make no great difference to the appearance of the G.P.O. The one feature of prominence that is to disappear from the sky-line of the building arc the massive domed towers of Oainaru stone, which ornament the tivo Featherston Street corners. Not only is the space they occupy required for utilitarian purposes, but, following the wise trend to get rid of weighty top-hamper, as a precautionary measure against earthquake strain, it has been deemed advisable to demolish these massive stone towers.

The new story will extend right across the Featherston Street section of the building, a distance of 154 feet, while two side wings will extend along the Grey and Panama Street sides, 120 feet by 48 feet. Thus the new structure will surround the central light well (a* three sides. The new story, to be erected on wooden joists bolted to the existing roof, will have a wooden frame and exterior walls of asbestos sheets. Ample window space will be provided, while there need be no doubt as to the efficacy of the ventilation at that height. The existing service elevator and stairway are to be extended up to the new story, which will be given a bitumenised fabric roof.

The accommodation of the new story will be mainly occupied by the transport, accounts and correspondence branches.