NEW BUSINESS PREMISES.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1926, Page 11

NEW BUSINESS PREMISES.

A FOUR-STOREY BUILDING. IMPOSING STRUCTURE. The latest addition to the ever-grow-ing number of modern business premises in New Plymouth ie an imposing fourstorey warehouse in Devon Street constructed in reinforced concrete for H. Collier and Co., music dealers. For nearly 50 years this firm has been established in New Plymouth, and 'before that it had its beginning in Wanganui, where there is still a branch. The need for expansion has long been felt, especially owing, to the facilities for direct shipment through the port, and the new building has been designed to make this town the distributing centre for the firm’s several branches. The new premises have been in occupation over a month. Owing to their height they form a prominent landmark, and architecturally they are distinguished by simplicity of outline, emphasised 'by an exterior finish of white plaster. The street frontage to the shop is finished in black tiles with white lines, giving a pleasing effect. The windows, which are roomy, flank a wide and handsome doorway fitted with swinging doors glazed with heavy bevelled plate glass, framed in stained oak, and are backed with stained oak panels. The ground floor is occupied as a sales department for music and gramophone records. There are also on this floor sound-proof rooms for demonstrating gramophones, the firm's office, and a specially-designed theatre box-office. Underneath there is a basement.

A handsome and imposing broad staircase, made of oiled heart riinu, leads from the shop to the showroom on the first floor. This is spacious and beautifully finished and carpeted, making one of the most suitable showrooms to be found anywhere in the Dominion. It is shut off from the shop by a heavy glass door at one of the stair landings, the staircase going up over the shop windows. A fine effect has 'been produced by the delicate toned papering over Maxwell boarding, and this is heightened by the chaste design of the leaded window lights on the eastern side of the building. Special attention has been paid to the artificial lighting, and the scheme adopted is that known as the inverted bowl type, in which lights of 300 candlepower are used. This has been carried out in the shop and showroom, and helps to throw into prominence the effect of the decorative plaster work in which the ceilings have been finished by Martin Bros.

The second floor is devoted to secondhand pianos, repair work and tuning, and the storage of pianos and gramophones in bulk, and still further accommodation is provided in this direction on the top floor. There is a stairway from the back of the shop leading right up through each floor to the top storey, while for heavy lifting an electric elevator has been installed. Access to each floor is provided from the lift, and when not in use this is all completely closed up by panelled doorways, in keeping with the woodwork of the whole of the interior, which is executed in heart rimu.

The whole of the work on the building has been done locally. The architect was Mr. T. H. Bates. Mr. Frank Amoore was the contractor: Mr. P. W. Roberts the decorator; Mr. John Hallam the plasterer; Messrs. Smart Bros, did the electrical installation, and Harwood’s Ltd. the ornamental windows. The lift was designed and installed byMessrs. Rollo and Millar.