Institute of Marine Engineers' New Building. (See next page)

Progress, Volume IV, Issue 9, 1 July 1909, Page 314

Institute of Marine Engineers' New Building. (See nex t page)

Those who pass daily down Aitken Street into Mulgrave Street regularly express their astonishment at the presence of vast quantities of building material dumped on the vacant lots. 'JVv as regularly ask whether anybody is ever going to settle alongside of the few occupied sections, and they never get an answer to satisfy them. During the last few days there have, however, been signs of activity at the southern "Mulgrave Street corner. We learn that the contractors' lneD are clearing and levelling the groun 1 for the new building just authorised by the Institute of Marine Engineers. From our illustration it will be seen that a fine addition is about to be made^ to the city architecture, where it will be most

welcome. Messrs. Campbell and Burke, who have done such good and well-known work in the city during the last few years, are the contractors, having come out successful against 26 other tonders. Mr. H. Andrews, of Wellington, is the architect, and his handsome design does him ciedit. The main frontage of 96ft. will be to Aitken Street, the Mulgrave Street frontage being of 30ft. From pavement to top of parapet above the main entrance the height will be .llvtt. There are to be three stories, the first and second floors being designed for the sole use of the institute. On the ground floor provision is to be made for shops and offices, each having its own entrance from the street. The main \ estibule, from which access will be had to the institute's rooms, will occupy the middle of the Aitken street frontage. The Mulgrave street end of the first floor will be occupied by the in-

stitute 's reading room and library. Adjoining it will be a card-room and a writing-room. The rest of the floor will be divided np into large committee-room, a second card-room, sittingroom, kitchen, lavatories and bathroom, all provision being made for comfort and convenience. On the top floor there will be a billiaid-room with two tables, and a lecture hall. The material to be used will be biiek and concrete. * =*= -,* The new Post Office at Balchitha piomises to be a very suitable building for the requirements of the town. The public office will be 26ft. long by 12ft. wide, with a counter 18ft. long, and desks for the use of the public, also a telephone bureau. The mail room will be 30ft. by 20ft.

A new tlioatio is to be erected foi a Wellington syndicate at a cost of £20,000. It will he situated on the north side of the street, almost facing His Maje&y 's Theatre. The land on which the theatre is to be built has a fi outage of 80ft. and a depth of 190 ft., and with the exception of a 10ft. i ight-of -way the whole of this area will be covered by the building The building is to be of brick cement faced with a balcony in the front, and shops on the ground flooi Seating accommodation is piovided in Dress Ghcle 430, Front Stalls 320, Back Stalls 700, total 1-450. Stage is to be 70ft. wide by 55ft., and the proscenium will be 35ft. wide. The

whole of the building will be fireproof construction, the dress circle, staircases and exits being of reinforced concrete, and the ceiling of the auditorium of steel. The theatre is to be completed by April of next year. 36 Jk SS A welcome addition to the aichitecture of the city is being made by Messrs Trevor and Sons in the erection of a six-storey building, from plans prepared bv Messrs. Penty and Blake, at the corner of Featherston and Hunter streets, for the executors of the Bannatyne estate. The ground floor of the building is devoted to a large shop, while the remaining five floors will be a\ailable for warehouse and office purposes.

A passenger and goods lift "will be installed and, taken altogether, the building will piescnt a stiiking appeaiame. Such satisfactorx pi ogress has been nurde with the foundations that the clcik of A\oiks. Mi. T. W. Twist, was enabled to lav in position the fiist brick of the new stun tine before the middle of -Tune. The number of hiuks (omputed to ( omplete the contract is 420,000. T,ho pine for the building is appioxnnateh £1:5,000. Oiegon Pine figures largely, as this timbei will be used throughout foi the lining, joists, and loofing, wlnle the flooring is kami. The contract should be completed in ten months.