Hyams Building (Former)

• 1903
• Original construction (00053: 93: 5297)
• 1937
• Additions and alterations – erect lift shaft (00056: 197: B17222)
• 1943
• Reinstatement following 1942 Earthquake – probable removal of cornice and parapet SR 9020356
• 1951
• Additions and alterations – fire escapes and alterations (00056: 409: B31478)
• 1951
• Additions – lavatory block (00056: 411: B31623)
• 1951
• Alterations – offices (00056: 412: B31695)
• 1951
• Alterations – subdivision and offices
• 1956
• Building additions (00056: 536: B39630)
• 1960
• Penthouse alterations (00058: 133: C6372)
• 1972
• Building alterations (00058: 771: C34790)
• 2004
• Structural strengthening and conversion to backpackers and bar (78: 1446: 112870)

• 1905 - 1935
• Van Staveren & Co, Merchants (Stones,1905,1910-11, 1915-16, 1920, 1925, 1930, 1935)
• 1910 - 1985
• Elias Hyams/E.J Hyams & Son (Stones1910-11, 1915-16, 1920, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises1950-51, 1955, 1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72, 1975, 1980, 1985)
• 1930 - 1951
• His Master’s Voice, gramophone & radio importers (Stones,1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises1950-51)
• 1951 - 1955
• Cotton Bros Ltd., Wholesale rubber merchants (Stones1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises1950-51)
• 1961 - 1972
• Frederick Ost, architect (Wises1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72)
• 1961 - 1972
• Department centre (Wises1961-62,1967-67,1971-72)
• 1967 - 1972
• Alliance Textiles Ltd (Wises1967-68, 1971-72)
• 1975
• High Commission of Malaysia (Wises1975)
• 1975 - 1985
• Frank Garrett & Co, soft goods warehousemen (Wises,1975,1980,1985)
• 1985 - 1990
• The Pink Palace (Wises,1985,1990)
• 2004
• Nomads Backpackers/Hostel

Not assessed

The Hyams building is a tall, four-storey warehouse designed in an early Edwardian Classical style. The building was originally designed as two separate buildings behind a symmetrical façade. A brick masonry wall separated the two warehouses, with office accommodation facing the street. The original plans show an ornate cornice and heavy parapet; these were apparently removed following the 1942 earthquake. The Wakefield Street façade has been stripped of embellishment on the upper two floors, leaving only the ground and first floors with their original Edwardian Classical details. The ground floor is divided by piers faced with vermiculated stone; the surface is marked to give an appearance of being tracked through by worms and was a popular form of rustication. The arched central entrance has a small triangular pediment over it. The first floor features heavily moulded round headed windows, complete with keystone and segmental pediment above.

The removal of exterior detail from the upper floors has unbalanced what was originally a competent Classical commercial building. The lower floors however add a degree of visual interest to the streetscape.

The construction of the building is load bearing brick masonry on concrete foundations. Railway iron sleepers were embedded above the cart door openings and cornices. Interior steel columns and girders rest on beds of Port Chalmers bluestone. jarrah piles and totara sleepers were used in the foundations with matai joists and tongue and groove flooring.

The Hyam’s Building is flanked to the east by the five-storey Plumbers Building (WCC ref 17/362.2) a fine interwar ‘transitional’ building, and to the west by the characterless modern West Plaza Hotel.

The wider context is the Wakefield Street block between the Victoria and Cuba Street intersections. This street-block is notable for the ‘street-wall’ of tall 20th century buildings that extend from the eastern ‘tower’ of the West Plaza Hotel, to the flank of the Cuba Street corner building. The block is a mix of relatively characterless modern buildings and fine heritage buildings that include the Racing Conference Building (WCC ref 17/318) and the former Structon office building (WCC Cuba Street Heritage Area – contributor) to the south of the street, the Wellington Town Hall (WCC ref 17/325) to the north of the street, along with the Civic Centre Heritage Area contributors - the Michael Fowler Centre, WCC MOB and CAB buildings.

• Architectural

  Does the item have architectural or artistic value for characteristics that may include its design, style, era, form, scale, materials, colour, texture, patina of age, quality of space, craftsmanship, smells, and sounds?

  The former Hyams Building is a good representative example of a warehouse building designed in an Edwardian commercial Classical style. The exterior has had few detrimental modifications other than the removal of the parapet and cornice.

• Group

  Is the item part of a group of buildings, structures, or sites that taken together have coherence because of their age, history, style, scale, materials, or use?

  The building contributes to the Cuba Street Heritage Area.

• Townscape

  Does the item have townscape value for the part it plays in defining a space or street; providing visual interest; its role as a landmark; or the contribution it makes to the character and sense of place of Wellington?

  The building is part of a ‘street-wall’ of tall 20th century buildings that define the south side of Wakefield Street between Victoria and Cuba streets.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important person, group, or organisation?

  This building has been associated with a number of different people and businesses in the century since its construction. The most important of these is with Elias Hyams, manufacturers’ agent and Czech consul, and E.J. Hyams and Son. The building is still referred to as the Hyams building. The building was also associated with His Master’s Voice, which was a principle tenant between 1930 and 1950, but the association goes back to the Hyams who were the New Zealand distributors of HMV recordings and gramophones.

• Archaeological

  Does the item have archaeological value for its ability to provide scientific information about past human activity?

  The Hyams building is located in the NZAA Central City archaeological area R27/270, so is of potential archaeological value.

• Identity Sense Of Place Continuity

  Is the item a focus of community, regional, or national identity? Does the item contribute to sense of place or continuity?

  This building is still referred to as the Hyams building despite being constructed for J.M. Richardson, and it remains associated with the Hyams family. It contributes to a sense of place and continuity on Wakefield Street as a representative of a now rare building type in this area – a commercial warehouse.

• Authentic

  Does the item have authenticity or integrity because it retains significant fabric from the time of its construction or from later periods when important additions or modifications were carried out?

  The interior of this building has been extensively modified, but retains some original internal fabric. The exterior has had less alteration and retains a significant amount of original fabric – with the notable exception of the parapet and cornice.

• Local Regional National International

  Is the item important for any of the above characteristics at a local, regional, national, or international level?

  This is a locally significant building due to its associations with a prominent Wellington business and family. It has moderate townscape value for the visual interest that it adds to the Wakefield streetscape, and makes an important contribution to the sense of place and continuity on Wakefield Street. It is also a good representative of an increasingly rare commercial warehouse in this area which was once mainly associated with industry and commerce. It is the oldest building on Wakefield Street that is included in the Cuba Street Heritage Area.

• Rare

  Is the item rare, unique, unusual, seminal, influential, or outstanding?

  Although Victoria and Wakefield streets were once lined with commercial warehouse buildings, the Hyam’s building is a relatively rare surviving example of this building type.

• Representative

  Is the item a good example of the class it represents?

  This building is a good representative of an Edwardian commercial Classical warehouse building.

Not assessed

• Bourke, Chris. ‘His Master’s Voice’, accessed 20 June 2013,
• E J Hyams Ltd Building on Wakefield Street, Wellington. EMI :Photographs relating to EMI and His Master's Voice NZ Ltd. Ref: PAColl-0646-06. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.
• Wellington City Council. Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings - Precincts. Wellington City Council, 2001.
• Wellington City Council. Cuba Street Heritage Area spreadsheet (blocks 1-3). Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006.
• Wellington City Council – Property details – Cityview GIS - SR 9020356
• Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 72, 22 September 1909, Page 7, accessed 19 June 2013,
• CT49/138
• CT5C/287
• CT40D/9
• Stones 1905, 1910-11, 1915-16, 1920, 1925, 1930, 1935
• Stones1910-11, 1915-16, 1920, 1925, 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises1950-51, 1955, 1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72, 1975, 1980, 1985
• Stones1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises1950-51
• Wises1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72
• Wises1961-62, 1967-67, 1971-72
• Wises1967-68, 1971-72
• Wises1975
• Wises1975, 1980, 1985
• Wises1985, 1990
• 00053: 93: 5297
• 00056: 197: B17222
• 00056: 409: B31478
• 00056: 411: B31623
• 00056: 412: B31695
• 00056: 536: B39630
• 00058: 133: C6372
• 00058: 771: C34790

Not available

Not available