BETTER APPEARANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20276, 10 April 1934, Page 3

BETTER APPEARANCE.

Transformation of City Building. From one of the older structures in the city, Bowron’s Buildings, at the corner of Hereford and Manchester Streets, has become a strikingly modern block with a new handsome white appearance. The reconstruction work began about four months ago under the supervision of the architect, Mr B. J. Ager, and is now almost completed. Very little of the exterior has to be done and the interior finishing is well under way. The old building of three storeys, in the style of old London street architecture, has been changed by the removal of overhanging cornices and mouldings to the weight of fifty-five tons and the remodelling has been carried out in the modern upright style, all horizontal features being removed, leaving the perpendiculars. The job has called for great care in the cleaning of the bricks and the replacement of soft stone and brick, but that has been amply repaid by the imposing effect of the remodelled block. Discussing the work yesterday, Mr Ager said that it seemed that a number of buildings in Christchurch could be treated in similar fashion when it was not advantageous to take them down, and if it was not desired to erect buildings of great height to replace them. The remodelling method was far less expensive than rebuilding.