Warehouse (Former)

• 1923
• Building constructed. (00055:18:A1773)
• 1951
• Additional stairway. (00056:417:B32042)
• 1954
• Cool room. (00056:494:B37073)
• 1960
• Fire escape and new goods entrance. (00058:149:C7034)
• 1967
• New loading entrance at rear of building (00058:524:C25361)
• 1974
• Partitions built (00058:941:C41398)
• 1990
• Major alterations to tavern, shop front alterations and building strengthening (00059:351:E19097 and 00040:6:E681927)
• 1992
• Additions and alterations. (00059:518:E24396)
• 1996
• Entrance & canopy alterations. (00078:16:22483)
• 1999
• Apartment development stage 1 to rear of building. Major additionsand alterations (including mezzanine floor & higher roof level) Stage 2 of the apartment development - major additions and alterations including building an additional 3 storeys (00078:1293:52201 and 00078:1293:55556)
• 2001
• Bathroom ensuite alterations. (00078:603:73637)
• 2003
• Urinals installed. (00078:1108:107130)

• 1925 - 1927
• A.G. Wallace & Co. – fruit auctioneers and general merchants.
• 1925 - 1942
• NZ Paper Mills.
• 1920 - 1980
• David Bowie & Co.
• 1976 - 1979
• Cathay Trading Grocers.
• 1976 - 1980
• Stanton Brothers Ltd.
• 1981 - 1985
• Tasman Tanning Company Ltd
• 1984 - 1990
• Janco Salon.
• 1994 - 1995
• Barretts Tavern.

Not assessed

Although the original architectural drawings exist, they are unsigned by any architect. The original plans show a two storey building with a basement and a large warehouse space on the ground floor. The main opening for the warehouse extended the full width of the central bay of the building. The original brick facings on the Allen Street facade have now been plastered over, but otherwise the window openings, stepped parapet, copings and cornice over the central three of the five first floor windows remain as shown on the drawings. The structure is brick and concrete with steel beams over all openings. The original warehouse use is now replaced by a bar and offices.

The building was altered in 1999 and the building now rises to six storeys with a modern rooftop apartment addition.

The building is part of collection of turn of the century buildings in Allen and Blair Streets which were originally used as city warehouses, storing produce and goods for auction. As a group, the buildings were consistent in type and age, but their facades show a diversity of styles.  Despite apparent differences they relate to each other in opening proportions, building form, scale, some decoration, and an underlying Classicism. Most have a large number of windows to the upper floors, and large vehicular openings on the ground floor. Their parapets give a strong horizontal emphasis to the street, but it is the diversity and homogeneity of building facades which provides the interest and character to the precinct.

An exception to the historic character of this block is a multi-storey office building on the corner of Courtenay Place and Allen Street, which directly abuts 26-32 Allen Street, whose height is somewhat at odds with the prevailing building height of the other buildings around it.

• 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?

  26 – 32 Allen Street is a good representative example of an inter-war light-industrial warehouse designed in a transitional Stripped Classical style. The multi-storey c.1999 addition has diminished the aesthetic/architectural value of the original building.

• 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?

  Blair and Allen Streets have important historic value as the focal point of the area that housed the wholesale produce markets for the city for approximately 90 years, from shortly after the turn of the century until 1993. The building is now part of a precinct that has found a new purpose and identity.   The buildings have also largely retained their fabric and appearance, giving an homogeneity and character to the area that is unique to the city.

  It contributes to the Courtenay Place 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’s lower two storeys make a contribution to the Allen Street streetscape, as it is part of a group of buildings that were built in the early 1900s as Wellington warehouses and which have mostly survived with their essential character intact.

• Association

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

  The building is associated with a part of the city that played a key role in its economic development for 90 years. The Blair/Allen Street markets were the source of much of the city’s produce and general goods for most of the 20^th century.

• Archaeological

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

  This area 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?

  The building is part of a collection of historic buildings which contribute to the sense of place in the Courtenay Place Heritage Area. More specifically, the collection of buildings that form the Blair and Allen Street precinct is a coherent streetscape well understood and appreciated by the local community.

• 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 building’s principal facade is largely unchanged on its lower floors.

• Representative

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

  It is representative of the kind of warehouse structure built in Wellington City in the first two decades of the 19^th century. Changes to the building since then have reduced its original characteristics somewhat.

• Local

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

  This building is of local importance for its contribution to the Courtenay Place Heritage Area.

Not assessed

• CT WN 200/55, Land Information New Zealand
• CT WN 419/185, Land Information New Zealand
• CT WN 597/109, Land Information New Zealand
• CTWN 875/42, Land Information New Zealand
• Cyclopedia Co. Ltd, “Townsend and Paul”, in The Cyclopedia of New Zealand: Wellington Provincial District. Wellington: The Cyclopedia Company Limited, 1897, Accessed July 10 2012.
• Wellington City Council. “Courtenay Arms”. Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. Wellington City Council, 2001, AL&BL8.
• Kelly, Michael, and Russell Murray. Courtenay Place Heritage Area Report. Welllington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006.
• Wises Street Directories 1924 - 1995.
• Newspapers
• ‘Page 16 Advertisements Column 2’, Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 81, 2 October 1930.
• ‘New Companies’, Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 4, 6 January 1930.
• Wellington City Archives
• “26-32 Allen Street - Te Aro smoke house”, 1923, 00055:18:A1771, Wellington City Archives.
• “26-32 Allen Street – building”, 1923, 00055:18:A1773, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - Te Aro alterations building”, 1951, 00056:417:B32042, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - cool room”, 1954, 00056:494:B37073, Wellington City Archives.
• “26-32 Allen Street - additions and alterations - loading entrance”, 1967, 00058:524:C25361, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - building alterations”, 1960, 00058:149:C7034, Wellington City Archives.
• “28-32 Allen Street - building alterations – partitions”, 1974, 00058:941:C41398, Wellington City Archives.
• “26-32 Allen Street, tavern alterations and strengthening”, 1990, 00059:351:E19097, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - additions and alterations”, 1990, 00040:6:E681927, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - business additions and alterations”, 1992, 00059:518:E24396, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - additions and alterations”, 1996, 00078:16:22483, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - apartment development, stage 1”, 1999, 00078:1293:52201, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - apartment development, stage 2”, 1999, 00078:1293:55556, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street - bathroom ensuite alteration - removal of existing bath and installation of shower, waste and water system”, 2001, 00078:603:73637, Wellington City Archives.
• “26 Allen Street, installation of three urinals in The Courtenay Arms”, 2003, 00078:1108:107130, Wellington City Archives.
• Image, 2007/11:1:19, Wellington City Archives.

• Inventory Report
• Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 78, 29 September 1942, Page 3

Not available