Edilson’s Building

• 1928
• Construction. Note: Godber's wooden building removed from site. (00056:48:B4681)
• 1953
• Shop front. (00056:457:B34675)
• 1982
• Shop front alterations (00058:0:C60540)
• 1989
• Night club additions and alterations (00059:348:E19010)
• 1996
• Restaurant additions and alterations (00061:307:15352)
• 1998
• Construction of staff toilet and relocation of bar facilities (00078:391:39273)
• 1999
• Internal alterations: installation of gib acoustic barrier to existing ceiling (00078:326:50695)
• 2002
• Balcony addition and new window joinery (00078:922:86914)
• 2003
• Internal fit-out for sushi bar, ground floor (00078:1337:110247)
• 2004
• New bathroom facilities, mezzanine and building egress (00078:1409:122811)
• 2004
• Office building alterations, level 2 (00078:2148:116279)
• 2006
• Restaurant additions and alterations for San Francisco Bath House (00078:2192:148072)
• 2009
• Restaurant re-fitout including new kitchen, accessible toilet and expanded indoor seating. (00078:2844:187972)

• 1928
• Co-operative Furniture Warehouse (1928)
• 1929 - 1972
• City Rifle Range (1929, Stones1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises1950-51, 1955, 1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72)
• 1935
• Fisherman's Co-op Ltd (Stones1935)
• 1945 - 1985
• Wellington Fisheries (Stones1945, Wises1950-51, 1955, 1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72, 1975, 1980,1985)
• 1940 - 1980
• Waites Shoe Stores Ltd (Stones,1940, 1945, Wises1950-51, 1955, 1961-62, 1967-68, 1971-72, 1975,1975, 1980)
• 1985
• House of Oak & Mahogany (Wises1985,1990) Silvio’s
• 1999 - 2007
• Indigo Bar
• 2007 - 2012
• San Francisco Bath House
• 2003 - 2012
• Wasabi Sushi Bar
• 2012
• Ram’s Restaurant
• 2012
• Save the Children

Not assessed

The building is transitional in character, finding a place between the ornate Edwardian Classical facades of much of the Cuba Street precinct, and Art Deco and Modernist design. The architectural style of the facade is Stripped Classical, retaining a minimal vocabulary of cornice, entablature and quasi-pilasters. Ornamental detail has been confined to small rosettes, roundels, and a moulded strip of half-chevrons at the lower end of the entablature. The facade is symmetrical, with well-detailed steel window mullions.

A large portion of the façade is currently obscured behind a completely unsympathetic and inappropriate solid-walled balcony atop the verandah which strongly detracts from both the heritage values of the building and the overall streetscape of this block by blocking views of the façade and intruding in to the line of the street wall. Other modifications made over the years include the refurbishment of the ground floor shop fronts, and the replacement of the first floor windows.

The construction is steel frame, reinforced concrete walls on concrete foundations, and steel window joinery.

This building sits among a row of masonry buildings of a variety of scales and architecture between Swan Lane and Vivian Street. It sits comfortably with the range of architectural styles on Cuba Street despite the ungainly solid balcony that has been constructed on the Cuba Street façade.

• 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?

  Behind the massive modern balcony of the Edilson Building is an elegantly composed Stripped Classical masonry building of two stories, accented with Art Deco-inspired details.

• 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?

  This building is part of an extended group of masonry buildings of a variety of scales and architecture south from Swan Lane which contribute positively to the Cuba Street 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, representing a transitional style, makes a distinct contribution to the Cuba Street precinct.

• Association

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

  This building was designed by notable Wellington architect J.M. Dawson.

  This building also has historic value for its long use as the City Rifle Range, and the long-standing home of the Wellington Fisherman’s Co.

• Association

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

  The building signals the shift from mixed use to the purely commercial in new building in Te Aro during the 1920s.

• 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; hence this site has potential archaeological value.

• 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 historic commercial buildings on Cuba Street which contribute to the sense of place and continuity of the Cuba Street 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?

  Hidden behind the modern balcony, the first floor façade of the building remains largely intact with a high level of original detailing, despite the modifications to the first floor windows and ground floor retail space.

• Local Regional National International

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

  This building is of local importance, as it contributes to the Cuba Street Heritage Area.

• Representative

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

  The building is representative of the architecture and history found in Cuba Street.

Not assessed

• Historic Places Trust, “Dawson, Joseph McClatchie.”, Professional Biographies. Accessed 4 September 2012.
• Kelly, Michael and Russell Murray. Cuba Street Heritage Area Report. Wellington City Council. Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006.
• Wellington City Council, “173 Cuba Street”, Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. Wellington City Council, 2001.
• Wellington City Council, Cuba Street Heritage Area spreadsheet (block 4). (Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006).
• WCC Records 1041-06-CUB171.
• Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 68, 29 September 1928, Page 2
• Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 121, 1 December 1928, Page 16
• Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 126, 1 June 1929, Page 4Criteria for assessing cultural heritage significance

• Inventory Report
• 1928 specifications and plans

Not available