NEW BUILDING.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18878, 23 February 1933, Page 8

NEW BUILDING.

CAFE AND DANCE HALL. GRANTHAM STREET PROPOSAL. I I APPROVED BY COUNCIL. An extensive new building for Hamilton was foreshadowed when an application to erect a cafe and dance and concert hall in Grantham Street, next to the money-order office, came before the Borough Council last evening. The applicants proposed to construct the building with plastered steel mesh material in the main and claimed that premises erected thus could he deemed to be fireproof. It was pointed out that this method of construction was sanctioned as a permanent one in several boroughs. It was also emphasised that its erection, at a cost of between £4500 and £SOOO, would give employment to those in need. As it was hoped to have the building ready for winter use ft was requested that the application be considered as urgent. . According to a plan attached it is proposed to erect a cafe to seat 100 people with the entrance on Grantham Street, and at a lower level, separated by a Dutch garden, a concert and dance hall to accommodate approximately 600 persons, with an indoor stage and an out-of-doors one facing the river. Report by Inspector. The borough inspector, Mr J. W. Lewis, in a report on the application, staled that there were several parts of the present brick areas which were suitable for the method suggested and from some points of view this class of construction would be well in keeping with the spirit of the by-law, the main object c-f which was fire prevention In all congested areas. To some extent the fire and other insurance rates were based on the nature of the buildings permitted by borough by-laws and he believed- that the method of construction proposed in the application was looked upon as satisfactory in certain circumstances by the Fire Underwriters’ Association.

Other points in its favour were the position of the sections on which it was proposed to build, the open space surrounding the building and the nature of the ground on which it was to be built. The plan showed open spaces all round the building. The ground was made ground on a fair portion of the site and a light construction might be safer under the circumstances.

The main point against such a proposition was the necessity for altering the present by-law and the difficulty of making a new one which would meet the position.

Fairly strict by-laws had been made as a precautionary measure against fire in other classes of buildings such as shops and offices let in seperate occupation, tenement houses and others, snd while the question of approving, alterations to a building of the type ■ suggested to suit ether purposes might not be the council's concern at present it should be realised that it might be a difficult question when such circumstances did arise. All the above matters should therefore he considered if it was desired to approve the proposal.

Arranging a By-law. , Mr Lewis thought it might be possible to arrange a by-law under which applications cf this nature could be dealt with on their merits. So far as this one was concerned, if the bylaw which provided that only brick, stone or concrete in that area might be used was evaded in some way, lie was of the opinion that the position would be amply safeguarded if the council Insisted on that part of the proposed building beneath the cafe and shops being built in concrete, including the floor of the shop and cafe irrespective of cost. The nature of the business, and the necessity for proper retention of the higher ground and public footway, fully warranted such. In his opinion it would also he a more permanent and suitable foundation for that method of construction. in view of the circumstances the council decided to adopt the inspector’s report and allow construction to proceed, .while the by-law is to be amended according to Mr Lewis’ suggestion.