MESSRS. MORRIN AND CO.'S NEW WAREHOUSES, HIGH-STREET AND VICTORIA QUADRANT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6566, 2 December 1882, Page 6

MESSRS. MORRIN AND CO.'S NEW WAREHOUSES, HIGH-STREET AND VICTORIA QUADRANT.

Akoct a year ago Messrs. T. and S. Morrin purchased a large block of land adjacent to their present store, next the High-street School, with the view of erecting additional warehouses to meet the demands of their extensive and increasing business. The land thus purchased and added has not only a frontage to High-street, but runs back to Victoria Quadrant, thus giving increased facilities for the reception and despatch of goods. The block now extends from the High-street School to Mackie's Coach Factory, Victoria-street, on the High-street frontage. Part of it, as already stated, is built upon, and it is intended to cover the remainder of the area with a handsome block of warehouses in brick, three storeys in height. The total frontage to High-street is 128 feet, and to Victoria Quadrant of GG, the block having a total mean depth of 200 feet. This step has been rendered necessary from the crowded state of the present warehouses, and the need of increased accommodation. Tenders are now invited in our columns for the erection of these warehouses, and close on the 13th instant. Tho plans have been prepared by Messrs. Keals and Sons, under whoso direction the work will bo carried out. In order to have the ground floor on one level the ground will be excavated to a depth of 20 feet on the Victoria Quadrant frontage. A portion of the ground floor, which is 14 feet high in the clear, for some 50 feet back from the Highstreet frontage will bo subdivided into offices, packing, and sample rooms. There will be two principal entrances from Highstreet, running through the whole subdivision, from which the receipt or delivery of heavy goods can be clTccted into the remainder of the ground lloor space— ~r> x 120. In order to enable heavily-laden drays to get into the warehouses readily to discharge, a system of iron tram-plates is laid down, similar to that now iu use in all the large warehouses at Home. On this floor there will be three hydraulic lifts, under which drays can discharge goods, which will then be taken up to the first and second floors. On this floor also will be a series of travelling cranes, six in number, working between the storey posts, for the purpose of shifting goods to any part of the buildings. In fact a speciality is made of having every labour-saving appliance brought into requisition than can be utilised and adapted. T'no first floor, which can be reached either by the staircase or the lifts, will be devoted to various classes of ironmongery. It is carried on kauri storey posts, supporting girders. The upper floor, which is level with Victoria Quadrant, is to be utilised for light goods, and as a showroom. The lighting is provided by a series of lantern lights in the roof and " wells" in the floors. A portion of the Victoria Quadrant frontage is devoted to a caretaker's residence, and stabling, &c, ami giving additional entrances from that street. A portion of the roof is flat, and can be used for drying purposes by the caretaker. The main entrances to High-street (two in number) arc each 10 feet wide, and circular headed. The ground floor, the facade of which has rusticated piers, is lighted with four pairs of twolight circular headed windows. On the first floor there are six pairs of similar description, and on the top floor tho windows are capped with a segment head, springing from pilaster caps spanning the dcuble windows. The pilasters run from the basrniiHit to top floor, relieved by white or moulded string-courses at the different levels. Tho segment head is divided into a scries of koystone panelling. The top of main cornice is supported on bold ornamented cantilevers, between which are square moulded panels. Above the main cornice is a plain blocking Burmounted by centre entablature for th" name of tho firm. On the Victoria Quadrant frontanc the facade ia of a plainer character, the upper storey being lit by eight segmentheaded windows with plain keystones, the lower storey by five windows. There are two entrances to the warehouses from this frontage, each 10 feet wide, for receiving and discharging goods. The amplest provisien has been made for ventilation, lavatoriea, drainage, &c. The roof will be sheathed with wood, and covered with corrugated iren, and the exterior of the warehouses will be executed in cement.