Commercial Building

• 1905
• Building constructed by James Trevor & Sons– designed as two brick shops (00053:119:6606)
• 1923
• Alterations to building to make it suitable for new occupants the Bank of New South Wales. Designed by Crichton and McKay and built by Fletcher Construction. The ground floor was converted for bank use and a new strong-room was constructed in the basement. (00055:16:A1569)
• 1934
• Alterations. (00056:152:B13581)
• 1982
• Restaurant alterations. (00058:0:C58192)
• 1993
• Strengthening and fitout (bar, restaurant and two apartments). (00059:595:E26716)
• 2003
• Additions and alterations, level 1, ground floor and basement. (00078:1545:107365), Deck verandah upgrade. internal fitout to ground and lower floors for bar and restaurant - courtenay bar. (00078:1808:106732)

• 1910 - 1911
• Levin Meat & Cold Storage Co. Ltd., Herbert Richards, manager (Stones 1910-11).
• 1915 - 1916
• Philip Ralph, butcher (Stones 1915-16).
• 1915 - 1916
• W. E. Apps & Co., fish monger, William Egbert (Stones 1915-16).
• 1925 - 1980
• Bank of NSW (Stones 1925 - 1945; Wises 1950-1 to 1980).
• 1982 - 1985
• Westpac Banking Corp. (Wises 1982-1985).
• 1985 - 1990
• Cathay Restaurant & Cathay Trading Co. Ltd (Wises 1985 - 1990).

Not assessed

The architect of the 1905 building is unknown.

The four-storey building built beside it (1923) was designed by architects Crichton and McKay.

The building at 16-18 Courtenay Place was originally designed in 1905 as two shops; one was on the corner and the other opened onto Courtenay Place. The building consisted of two storeys with a basement below pavement level, and a verandah that wrapped around the corner. When it was converted to a bank in 1923, an ancillary four storey warehouse was constructed in Blair Street in that year.

The structure consists of load-bearing masonry walls. The ground floor is concrete supported on ‘railway rails’, and the first floor and roof are timber-framed.

The original 1905 building is substantially intact, and makes good use of its prominent corner site. The corner entrance is particularly well executed and the patterns of round-headed windows, cornice and pilasters combine are all common elements of Edwardian commercial architecture. It is somewhat marred by the unfortunate addition of a large modern verandah cum balcony that breaks the otherwise strong vertical lines of the building, and most of the windows and external doors have been replaced, but the facades are otherwise substantially authentic.

The appearance of the adjacent four-storey utilitarian warehouse (1923) has been substantially altered by the installation of new balconies and modern window / door fenestration.

Brick & Render

The ground floor is concrete supported on ‘railway rails’, and the first floor and roof are timber-framed.

The building is located on the north side of Courtenay Place in the western end of the eastern block.  To the immediate east of the building is the Westpac Bank building (1935). With the exception of the Zico Cafe, the buildings are of a comparable scale, although all are quite different in age and style.

More broadly, the northern side of Courtenay Place is characterised by its division into blocks, in contrast to the continuous street wall of the southern side, the more uniform scale of the buildings, and is particularly important for its close association with the important heritage precinct of Blair and Allen Streets. There are few modern buildings evident on this side of the street and it has a high level of authenticity in the streetscape. 

• 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?

  This commercial building is a nicely proportioned example of Edwardian architecture, and despite the verandah / balcony and other alterations it is in substantially authentic condition.

• 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 is part of an important group of heritage buildings which together form the Courtenay Place Heritage Area. Most of the buildings were constructed in the first half of the 20^th century, which gives the group a certain coherence. 

• 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?

  This building makes good use of its prominent corner site and contributes to the character of the Courtenay Place streetscape.

• Association

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

  The building has a strong association with first the Bank of New South Wales and later Westpac whose combined occupancy spanned 62 years.

• Association

  Is the item associated with an important historic event, theme, pattern, phase, or activity?

  As a former bank, the building has a strong association with the facilitation of commercial development of Courtenay Place.

• Archaeological

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

  This building is included in the NZAA Central City Archaeological Area R27/270. 

• 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 part of a group of commercial buildings on Courtenay Place which contribute to the sense of place or community of the Courtenay Place Heritage Area.

• 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?

  Despite the addition of the verandah/balcony, the building is in substantially authentic condition.

• Representative

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

  It is a representative example of the commercial architecture found in the Courtenay Place Heritage Area.

Not assessed

• “Levin Meat and Cold Storage Co. Ltd.”, Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 25, 31 January 1911, Page 10.
• Kelly, Michael and Russell Murray. Courtenay Place Heritage Area Report. Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006.
• CT WN 126/90, Land Information New Zealand
• CT WN 25B/60, Land Information New Zealand
• CT WN 55C/998, Land Information New Zealand
• “Blair Street [16-18 Courtenay Place], two brick shops”, 28 June 1905, 00053:119:6606, Wellington City Archives.
• “27-29 Blair Street [16 Courtenay Place], warehouse”, October 9, 1923, 00055:21:A2014, Wellington City Archives.
• “16 Courtenay Place, alterations”, December 24, 1934, 00056:152:B13581, Wellington City Archives.
• “14-16 Courtenay Place [27-31 Blair Street], restaurant alterations”, Janurary 31, 1982, 00058:0:C58192, Wellington City Archives.
• “14-16 Courtenay Place [27-29 Blair Street], strengthening and fitout (bar, restaurant and two apartments)”, February 23, 1993, 00059:595:E26716, Wellington City Archives.
• “16 Courtenay Place, additions and alterations, level 1, ground floor and basement”, 2003, 00078:1545:107365, Wellington City Archives.
• “16 Courtenay Place, deck verandah upgrade. internal fitout to ground and lower floors for bar and restaurant - courtenay bar - PIM only”, 2003, 00078:1808:106732, Wellington City Archives.
• Wellington City Council, Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. Wellington City Council, 2001.
• “Westpac New Zealand”, Accessed 23 October 2012

• Inventory Report
• 1905 plans
• 1992 plans

Not available