Commercial Building

• 1919
• Remove brick party walls, chimney, verandahs, shop fronts and internal fittings. Erection of verandah and new building addition. (00053:198:10915)
• 1919
• Part of premises sectioned off and divided into separate shop (00053:198: 11005)
• 1930
• 1st floor of 22 Courtenay & adjoining 32 Blair opened up more (00053:198:B8956)
• 1939
• Stairs removed (00053:198:B19212)
• 1940
• Building alts Spiral stair added, ground floor exterior wall altered, windows added (00053:198:B20275)
• 1976
• Converted shop to restaurant (00053:198:C44788)
• 1984
• Strengthening (00053:198:C64403)
• 1984
• Additional top floor, extended verandah (00053:198:C64100)
• unknown
• Fire reinstatement (00053:198:D8818)
• 1995
• Fire reinstatement (00053:198:15097)
• 1995
• Shop front alts (00053:198:15059)
• 1996
• Opening in existing wall & extension of verandah (SR24663)

• unknown
• Courtenay Place
• 1910
• James Henry Bettany, confectioner
• unknown
• Symonds Bros Butchers
• 1955
• Radio Sound and Service Limited
• 1980
• A1 Trading Mart
• 1990
• Café Paradiso
• 2000
• Hummingbird Café
• unknown
• Blair Street
• 1925
• J. Bowie, furniture salesman
• 1935
• City Furnishings Company
• 1940
• Gilby’s College
• 2000
• Hummingbird Café
• unknown
• 30 Blair Street
• 1955
• George Thomas and Company Limited
• 2000
• Hummingbird Café
• unknown
• 32 Blair Street
• 1961
• Flockton and Company Limited
• 1985
• Kerr Cowan Limited
• unknown
• New Zealand University Students Association
• 1990
• Kerr Cowan Limited
• unknown
• Tall Poppies Limited
• unknown
• Percival Publishing Limited
• 2000
• Hummingbird Café

Not assessed

18-22 Courtenay Place is a two storey Edwardian Classical building topped by a modern single storey roof extension. The ground floor shop-fronts, although not original[1] are an early alteration that make a strong contribution to the building. They consist of large glazed shop-front windows set above a low plinth, and with a row of multifaceted lead-light top-light windows above. The façade above verandah level consists of a central bay of three windows, topped at parapet level with a triangular pediment and flanked on either side by a pair of sash windows. The decorative scheme of pilasters, cornice and semi circular mini-pediments over the windows are in relatively low-relief and the building is fairly sparsely adorned, particularly when compared with its near neighbour, “Kitty O’Shea’s”. The secondary facade to Blair Street has almost no decorative ornamentation, with the exception of the cornice that extends around the corner. 

There is a two-storey 1919 addition to the rear of the building at Blair Street constructed in a simple transitional Classical/modernist style with timber casement windows that makes a contribution to the Blair Street Heritage Area, and a poorly conceived 1984 roof extension that does not. 

• 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?

  18-22 Courtenay Place is a two storey Edwardian Classical building topped by an unsympathetic modern single-storey roof-extension. The original building is a pleasant, well- proportioned Classical design with a fine early 20thC shop-front.

• 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 has some townscape value as it not only marks the corner of Blair Street and Courtenay Place, but its style is in keeping with that exhibited by adjoining buildings on both streets. This value is somewhat diminished by the modern 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 building is part of the Blair and Allen Street Precinct and the Courtenay Place Precinct which contain buildings of a similar size, age and style.

• Association

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

  The building is associated with the historical development of the Allen and Blair Street Precincts that took place between 1898 and 1904 and the development of Courtenay Place at the start of the twentieth century.

• Archaeological

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

  It is known that there has been pre-1900 human activity on the site. Te Aro Pa was located nearby and the 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 the Courtenay Place heritage area which, because of its unique collection of heritage buildings, contributes to both a local Wellington and a greater New Zealand identity.

• Local

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

  Because the building is part of a unique collection of heritage buildings within the Courtenay Place Heritage Area it is important on both a local and national level.

Not assessed

• New Zealand Historic Places Trust Professional Biographies. ‘Charles Tilleard Natusch.’ Accessed 11 September 2012.
• Wellington City Council. “Allen and Blair Streets.” Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. Wellington City Council, 2001. ALLEN & BLAIR.
• Wellington City Council. ‘32 Blair Street.’ Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 1995: Non-Residential Buildings. Wellington City Council, 1995.
• Archives: ‘18-22 Courtenay Place, shop front alterations.’ 1996. 00078:36:24663:001.
• Archives: ‘32 Blair Street, new building built as an addition.’ 1919. 00053:199:11005.

• Inventory Report
• 1939 plans
• 1988 plans
• n.d. plans
• n.d. plans

Not available