Commercial Building

• 1909
• Original building construction (00053: 154: 8501)
• 1924
• Additions and alterations - ‹500K
• 1936
• Additions and alterations - ‹500K
• 1943
• Additions and alterations - ‹500K
• 1955
• Additions and alterations (00056: 518: B38636)
• 1963
• Additions and alterations - ‹500K
• 1992
• Additions and alterations (00059: 554: E25560)
• unknown
• Alterations to restaurant (00059: 575: E26221)
• 2004
• Alteration to bar area – Cinta Malaysian restaurant (00078: 1204:111266)
• 2010
• Building earthquake strengthening

• c.1885 - 1920
• Taylor, Ramsay & Co. (Arthur & Robert Ramsay), tinsmiths & plumbers (Stones 1885-6 to 1920).
• 1925
• Brake & Ramsay, baths (Stones 1925).
• 1930 - 1935
• Turkish Baths Co. (Stones 1930 - 1935).
• 1940
• Dominion Dyers Ltd. (Stones 1940-1945; Wises 1950-1 to 1975)
• 1945
• Paramount coffee bar (Stones 1945; Wises 195-1).
• 1955
• Murray & Co., pram & nursery furniture (Wises 1955 - 1961-2).
• 1967
• Angelo & Co. Ltd. (Wises 1967-8 to 1985).
• 1985
• Far East International (Wises 1985 - 1990).

Not assessed

41 Courtenay Place is a diminutive two storey building designed in an early 20th century Classical style, and constructed in concrete, with timber window joinery, and a cement rendered façade. There is little ornamentation on this building but it has a distinctive upper façade featuring square Doric Pilasters at each side, rising through a strong cornice, and bracketing round headed windows divided by fluted pilasters, each capped with palmettes.

Visible materials are: Concrete construction, timber joinery windows, and cement rendered façade.

The immediate western neighbour of No.41 is the unusual Stewarts building, which is made up of an eclectic design with Classical, neo-Gothic, and Art Deco elements. Adjoining the eastern side is the Courtenay Market Buildings, which are among the most interesting designs on the street, built in three phases the Queen Anne elements on the eastern portion are noteworthy fro the elaborate stepped profile of the parapets. 

These buildings are part of a row of five heritage buildings that form a cohesive group. The buildings create an unbroken two-storey street-wall from the Paramount Theatre to the east, through to the much taller, four-storey Athenic Building to the west. Although the group were built in a mix of architectural styles, they have group value for their height and scale, for their materiality (rendered masonry), for their basic typology (a two-storey shop with a relatively ornate parapet), and for their history of use. 

The group is situated within the Courtenay Place Heritage Area. They are part of a continuous line of buildings between Cambridge Terrace and Tory Street serves to emphasise the original survey line. The buildings are diverse in nature and age but, despite some particularly intrusive modern buildings, have a high streetscape quality which contributes significantly to the heritage value and character of Courtenay Place as a whole.

• 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?

  41 Courtenay Place is a good representative example of an early 20th century commercial building that was built in a commercial Classical style.

• 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 townscape value for its contribution to the Courtenay Place Heritage Area.

• 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 has group value as one of a continuous row of two-storey buildings that are similar in terms of height, scale, materials, and history of use.

• Association

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

  The building has a representative historical value. Its pattern of use and occupation is typical of many small businesses that lined Courtenay Place in the early decades of the 20th century. There is an indirect association with the Manthel family who are best known as the owners of Manthel Motors.

• Archaeological

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

  Central City NZAA R27/270 - there was pre-1900 human activity on this site.

• 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 and contributes to the sense of place and continuity of the Courtenay Place Heritage Area

• Representative

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

  This building is representative of commercial buildings built in Wellington in the early 1900s.

• 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?

  This building retains significant amounts of original material and the façade is mostly unchanged. The survival of the verandah posts suggest that the original verandah may well be concealed under the, rather overwhelming, new signage. The ground floor shop-fronts are a modern, and not altogether sympathetic, addition.

• Local

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

  This building is important at a local level as it is representative of commercial buildings built in Wellington in the early 1900s, and is part of an important group of heritage buildings which together form the Courtenay Place Heritage Area.

Not assessed

• Kelly, Michael, and Murray, Russell. Courtenay Place Heritage Area Report. Welllington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48. 2006.
• Wellington City Council, Courtenay Place Heritage Area spreadsheet (Part 1). Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48. 2006.
• Wellington City Archive: Ref: 00053-154-8501
• Papers Past
• Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 35, 10 August 1938, Page 15
• Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 92, 20 April 1939, Page 2
• Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 28, 15 September 1911, Page 9
• Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 56, 3 September 1920, Page 8
• Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 55, 2 September 1924, Page 5
• Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 11, 12 July 1929, Page 12

• Inventory Report

Not available