Warehouse

Stock Exchange House (Former), Pandoro Bakery, Masala, 2 Allen Street, 4 Allen Street, 6 Allen Street, 8 Allen Street, 10 Allen Street

2-12 Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington
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Image: Charles Collins, 2015
Image: WCC - Charles Collins, 2015

Cityview GIS 2013
Cityview GIS 2013
WCC Archives reference 00053: 225: 7618
WCC Archives reference 00053: 225: 7618
Map

  • Constructed

    1907 - 1907

  • Heritage Area

    Courtenay Place Heritage Area

  • Architect(s)

    Unknown

  • Builder(s)

    2-6 A. Seaman, T. Carmichael; 8-12 Howie and Matthews

  • Two three-storey Edwardian warehouse buildings with unadorned facades.

    These buildings occupy the former Te Aro wetland that was slum housing in the mid- to late-19th century.

    From 1898, the Wellington Harbour Board redeveloped the area as a precinct with produce markets, merchants and manufacturers. It was a major element of Wellington’s economic and commercial development. 

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  • close History

    • The land occupied by the building was part of a slum area of Te Aro taken over by the Wellington Harbour Board in 1898. The Board acquired responsibility for the area as part of a land swap with the Wellington City Council – the outcome of legislation to allow further reclamation of Wellington Harbour. The Board was handed the job of removing the insanitary dwellings, building culverts and new roads, and selling the land. It took some time to remove all the occupants and demolish their houses and it was not until 1903 that the land could be properly drained. The original layout of the block was then redesigned; Allen Street was widened and extended to join Victoria Street, which is now Wakefield Street and Blair Street was formed parallel to Allen Street. Between 1904 and 1906 a variety of warehouse buildings were constructed along both sides of Allen and Blair Streets. These warehouses were used for storage and auctions. They were two or three stories high with a variety of street facades, some more ornate than others. In many of the stores markets and auctions were held on the ground floor with offices on the floors above.[1] Allen and Blair Streets bustled with vendors, merchants and numerous vehicles loading and unloading produce and other marketable goods.

      The building that is now referred to as 2-12 Allen Street originally started out as two separate buildings, 2-6 Allen Street (built in 1907) and 8-12 Allen Street (built in 1906). 2-6 Allen Street is sited on the corner of Allen and Wakefield Streets, while 8-12 Allen is the first building back from the Wakefield Street corner on the western side of the street.

      2-6 Allen Street, dating from 1907, is three storeys high and on the corner site of Allen and Wakefield Street. It is a very plain building with little ornamentation and is not improved by the recent addition of a fourth floor. It was originally constructed for Bannatyne and Hunter Ltd., wholesale general merchants. The original plans were submitted by Alfred Seamen. The plans show T. Carmichael’s name also, which is likely to be a reference to Thomas Carmichael of Carmichael and Son, builders and contractors.[2] The building was occupied by merchants for most of its history, including Toop and Neilson Ltd., later Toop and Johnston Ltd (Stones 1935-45, Wises 1950-1975) and United Merchants (1980). It was also used as a printing house by McQuarries Admail Ltd., (Wises 1980) and NZ print Ltd (Wises 1990).

      8-12 Allen Street, completed in 1906, is a three storey companion to the corner building with a similar plainness of style and lack of ornamentation. The original drawings show that the main elevation has been stripped of its modest decoration and the parapet removed. Although the floor levels differ, the cornice, and the line of the modern fourth storey addition of this building, align closely with its neighbour and give the pair some streetscape presence. The building was constructed for owner W.A.J. Dutch by builders Howie and Matthews and appears to have been used as the home of the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op. Distributing Co. Ltd. (Stones 1915). Following this the building was occupied by the Wellington Fish Market (Stones 1930-35). By the 1960s ownership of the building had been transferred from W.A.J Dutch to Griffin Savage and Co., Ltd.[1] A permit dated to 1960 states that this was when access through the party-wall was created between 8-12 Allen Street and 2-6 Allen Street.[2]  

       By the 1990s both buildings had come into the same ownership and were leased to a number of different businesses. In 1996 the buildings were seismically upgraded and an additional floor was added to both buildings. The interiors of both buildings have been significantly modified and adapted for their new uses, but the exteriors have generally retained their original forms.

    • Modifications close
      • unknown
      • 2-6 Allen Street
      • 1907
      • Original construction (WCA 00053: 225: 7618)
      • 1934
      • Window removed & new cart dock built adjoining existing cart dock (B12847)
      • 1945
      • New lift enclosure and motor room (B24612)
      • 1959
      • Warehouse alterations (00058: 107: C5220)
      • 1960
      • Access between this building and 8-12 Allen St established through party wall (C6852)
      • 1964
      • Building alterations (00058: 344: C14766)
      • 1976
      • Warehouse alterations
      • unknown
      • 8-12 Allen Street
      • 1906
      • Original construction (00053: 131: 7325)
      • 1934
      • Additions to premises (00056: 142: B12847)
      • 1960
      • Building alterations – lift shaft (00058: 145: C6852)
      • unknown
      • 2-12 Allen Street
      • 1996
      • Seismic upgrade and additional floor (00061: 227: 17261), Additions and alterations to restaurant (00078: 33: 24336)
      • 1997
      • Interior fit out – level 3 (00078: 130: 38528), Interior fit out – level 1 northern end (00078: 127: 37916), Addition – sign (00078: 1667: 31920)
      • 1998
      • Alterations – level 1 southern end (00078: 210: 49119), Addition – sign (00078: 249: 41002)
      • 1999
      • Alterations – salon fit out (00078: 516: 56700)
      • 2000
      • Building addition/alteration – concrete slab for new oven (00078: 634: 68198)
      • 2002
      • Tenancy fit out – level 3 (00078: 994: 96371)
    • Occupation History close

      Not assessed

  • close Architectural Information
    • Building Classification(s) close

      Not assessed

    • Architecture close

      2-6 Allen Street, dating from 1907, is three storeys high and on the corner site of Allen and Wakefield Street. It is a very plain building with little ornamentation; it is not improved by the recent addition of a fourth floor. The sculpted corner entrance to Pandoro Bakery at the ground floor adds visual interest to this building.

      8-12 Allen Street, completed in 1906, is a three storey companion to the corner building with a similar plainness of style and lack of detail. The original drawings show that the main elevation has been stripped of its modest decoration and the parapet removed. Although the floor levels differ, the cornice line and the line of the modern fourth storey addition of this building align closely with its neighbour and give the pair some streetscape presence.

      Both buildings have been designed with well-proportioned facades that feature groups of windows that are divided by simplified pilasters. The deep-set windows and doors, and the applied pilasters and spandrel panels (at 8-12 Allen Street) add to the articulation of the facades and the overall effect is of a pleasant, if somewhat unadorned, pair of buildings.

    • Materials close

      Both buildings are brick structures with painted cement render and steel windows – both have been seismically strengthened.

    • Setting close
      The buildings that are now known as 2-12 Allen Street make up a key gateway complex in the Allen Street warehouse precinct due to their prominent siting on the corner of Wakefield and Allen Streets. The two buildings form a coherent pair as two three-storey industrial buildings. The buildings have an overall horizontal emphasis that is consistent with the other buildings in the precinct.  

      Allen Street is made up of a number of former warehouse buildings associated with the fruit and produce markets. The Blair and Allen Street precinct is remarkable for its homogeneity. They provide the most consistent and uniform streetscape views of any part of the commercial business district of Wellington. They are mostly designed in the functional tradition, and were constructed for utilitarian purposes of produce markets and warehouses.
  • close Cultural Value
    The buildings at 2 – 12 Allen Street are two three-storey Edwardian warehouse buildings that have simple, unadorned facades. Both buildings have a modern single-storey roof-top addition.

    These buildings are associated with the former wetlands of Te Aro that was occupied by slum housing in the mid to late 19th century. The area came under control of the Wellington Harbour Board and was subsequently redeveloped as a market precinct. Blair and Allen Streets are now associated with the produce markets and with merchants and manufacturers - major element of Wellington’s economic and commercial development at the turn of the century.

    This building has an important townscape role as an element of the Blair/Allen Street precinct of 19th and early 20th century masonry warehouses.
    • Aesthetic Value close

      • 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 buildings at 2 – 12 Allen Street are two three-storey Edwardian warehouse buildings that have simple, unadorned facades. Both buildings have a modern single-storey roof-top addition.

      • 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 buildings have significant group value as two of the many purpose-built warehouse buildings in the Blair/Allen Street warehouse precinct.

      • 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 contributes to the Courtenay Place Heritage Area, which is made up of a group of late 19th – early 20th century commercial buildings.

    • Historic Value close

      • Association

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

        These buildings are associated with the former wetlands of Te Aro that was occupied by slum housing in the mid to late 19th century. The area came under control of the Wellington Harbour Board and was subsequently redeveloped as a market precinct. Blair and Allen Streets are now associated with the produce markets and with merchants and manufacturers - a major element of Wellington’s economic and commercial development at the turn of the century.

    • Scientific Value close

      • Archaelogical

        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.

    • Social Value close

      • 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.

    • Level of Cultural Heritage Significance close

      • 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?

        These buildings retain a significant amount of original exterior fabric and retain authenticity of design and material, together with a high level of authenticity of setting.

      • Representative

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

        This building is a representative example of the Edwardian Classical style used on an industrial warehouse building. They are representative of the type and style of buildings of the period and contribute significantly to a rare example of a warehouse precinct in Wellington City.

    • Local / Regional / National / International Importance close

      Not assessed

  • close Site Detail

    • District Plan Number

      16/10.2

    • Legal Description

      Lots 1 and 2 DP 1302

    • Heritage New Zealand Listed

      Not listed

    • Archaeological Site

      NZAA Central City R27/270

    • Current Uses

      unknown

    • Former Uses

      unknown

    • Has building been funded

      No

    • Funding Amount

      Not applicable

    • Earthquake Prone Status

      Not Earthquake Prone

  • close Additional Information

Last updated: 11/29/2016 3:47:47 AM