CONCRETE BUILDINGS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14049, 20 July 1916, Page 4

CONCRETE BUILDINGS.

NEW PRE^IISES w FiOR,.]Vm OHAS. TAYLOR. Tho utility of concrete for building purposes has been demonstrated in an interesting manner in connection with ' tho erection oF^ncw business premises: now in course of erection 1 fbr Mr Chffs. • Taylor,' cabinetmaker. ' ' iStifiened , by' a ; comparatively sinalt quantity 'of steelwork, the building ha« been erected entirely With' concrete, except -tor the tihiber that is required ,to carry the roof. Possessing a' frontage 0^ 40ft to Gladstone road, the building runs back a- dcptli I, o'f"s9fe,- 'proViaihg ' tot" two' slums. The' larger nf the two shops,y which will »bo- for- Mf 'Taylor's own business, has" a frontage 'of 24ft, and is ''BO'mbi'n'ed w^tli'a show foo'm; 'extending overtlie ehtirrf; 'urlpeV floor. The smaller shop has a width of 15ft 6in and a depth of 50ft, and will 1 be available for letting /purposes.' The interesting^' feature.' a'botit tlio building is the remai-kable econoniy iii construction/'" The' walls are" only 9ih in thickness, button tho groundfloor are strengthened by 14in pillars, at intervals. Steel 'girders also extend across the ceiling, mounted on these reinforced pillars, to carry the show-; room floor above> the latter having been put down in • coke-breeze — a mixture 1 - of; coke and concrete— reinforced with steel netting embedded in the flooring. Cokebieeze lias also been, utilised for the ground floor. 'It is intended to finish the floors throughout with red compp,. giving a clean and permanent, flooring. 'Much ingenuity lias been : 'displayed in> the design and construction of the staircase leading'froni the. main shop to the show rooms on the jfh^t floor. Office, accommodation and a strong-room .h^ 6 ' been combined underneath the stairway, | ensuring economy both in cost 'and' room. The interior walls will be ' treated with cement ' surfacing, and a calcimine finish, 'boing" an innovation' on the usual plaster' "work. There is still 'a' gdod deal of finishing to be done, but' the wOi'k at this juncture presents a job of interest ' to those ' coricerhed in the building^ trade. The' : frorit" is' ''to bedecorated with ornamental tiles,', r relieved' with grahiie panels, and surmounted by a - suspended" verandah'. Steel "ceilings ai J 3 being ' introduced throughout, ' and generally speaking/ 'the building "will be fire-proof. Immediately ' at , the back of the shop Mr "Taylor is erbctirig a 'new -! 'factorv, measuring" 100ft by v 66ft, and extending from the back of the shop •through a portion of his old Workshop. This structure, the walls of which are in pfogres's'of cdhstruetion, Will 'also' be in concrete throughout. Provision is being"maide for the heavier machinery and timber supplies td be located on the giiound floor, leaving 'the second floor clear for Workshop purposes. "' ! Between the f sctory site and the Cobden street frontage ' there ' is a large section, occupied at present only with building > materials for the' premises being, erected. On this area Mr Taylor' in-, tends erecting a further buildingj having a dirhension of .56ft by" 212ft, and this will be suitable for occupation as a ! motor garage. As with the other' buildings, concrete will be used entirely, 1 and Mr Taylor is of opinion that in the 'course of a' few -years, with the growth ai'id development of > the' town in a westerly direction, this' structuVo will bo convertible, when the time arrives, uxto a Cjbhvenient picture house. It, should be- mentioned that the present ■building operations are being carried out' rtnder the personal supervision • of " MrHunt, and that Milburn cement is being used throughout the 'job, which forms th6 largest 'concrete building in. town.