Patrick’s Buildings (Former)

• 1904
• Cuba Street building constructed (west façade) (00053:113:6260)
• 1922
• Shop front alterations (00055:7:A705)
• 1930 - 1931
• Corner building constructed (B10531)
• 1946
• Conversion to factory (00056:326:B25403)
• 1946
• Shop entrance alterations (00056:327:B25528)
• 1953
• Internal alterations (00056:457:B34683)
• 1957
• Building alterations (00058:40:C2005)
• 1962
• Showroom alterations (00058:240:C10712)
• 1964
• Internal alterations – ground floor (00058:353:C15178)
• 1967
• Ground floor converted to four shops (00058:533:C25733)
• 1978
• Fire ratings alterations (00058:1161:C50032)
• 1980
• Two Cuba Street shops turned into one shop (00058:1272:C53957)
• 1990
• Ground floor converted to a restaurant and bar (00059:416:E21126)
• 1992
• Conversion to apartments (first and second floor) (SR 9601810)
• 1995
• Folding doors put in on the ground floor (00061:25:10737)
• 1997
• Partitions in ground floor restaurant. (00078:126:37553)
• 2009
• Earthquake strengthening and fire upgrade (SR 194557)
• 2012
• First and second floors converted to office space

• 1930 - c.1950
• Patrick & Co, drapers (Stones 1930, 1935, 1940, 1945, Wises 1950-51)
• c.1955 - c.1965
• Manchester Manufacturing Company Ltd (Wises 1955, 1961-62)
• c.1967 - c.1970
• Carpets & Linoleum Ltd (Wises 1967-68).
• unknown
• From the early 1970s the building was occupied by a number of small businesses, including:
• c.1971
• Card shop (Wises 1971-72)
• c.1975
• Book shop (Wises 1975)
• c.1975 - c.1985
• Records Preservation & Book Palace (Wises 1975, 1980, 1985)
• unknown
• Not listed 1990
• 1995
• Antipodes Bar
• c.2000
• Batavia Restaurant
• 2000
• Blue Note
• c.2009 - 2013
• Fringe Bar

Not assessed

This three-storey Art Deco concrete building, completed in 1930, makes a very skilful use of its site, wrapping around the corner to Vivian Street in five facets. The building was set back from the street to form a rounded corner for the tram. The design is nearly symmetrical about the corner and is distinguished by the prominent vertical elements at each junction which rise above the parapet line as schematic pinnacles, the nearly flush windows and the patterned plasterwork to the spandrels and window heads. The left-hand facet has deeply-recessed arched and hexagonal-headed windows; this is the façade of an earlier 1904 building that was subsumed in to the later building and decorated with matching motifs. The building has a broad verandah which follows the facets and steps up in the centre to highlight the principal entrance to the building. There is a partial fourth-storey at the eastern side of the roof, kept well back from the façade line and only just visible from the street.

The original plans and specifications have not been found. However, the construction of the 1904 building (Cuba Street frontage) is unreinforced masonry, timber joists, and steel columns. The plans for the 1930 alterations and new building are held by the Alexander Turnbull Library.

The building occupies a prominent site on the corner of Cuba and Vivian Streets. The Art Deco modelling of the facade makes a distinct contribution to the Cuba Street townscape, providing a contrast to the predominant Edwardian Classicism of the precinct.

• 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?

  191 Cuba Street is one of the finest Art Deco Buildings in the Cuba Street Heritage Area. It has architectural value for its well-proportioned Art Deco façade and skilful use of a corner site. The five “facets” of the facade ‘turn the corner’, providing maximum exposure of shop fronts on the ground floor.

• 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 one of a group of historic commercial buildings which make a positive contribution to the character of 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 occupies a prominent site on the corner of Cuba and Vivian Streets. The Art Deco modelling of the facade makes a distinct contribution to the Cuba Street townscape, providing a contrast to the predominant Edwardian Classicism of the precinct.

• Association

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

  The building has historic value for its association with the once well known business, D.S. Patrick, who traded on this site for over 40 years.

• Archaeological

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

  The building is located in the Central City archaeological site reference NZAA 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?

  This building is part of a group of historic commercial buildings on Cuba Street which contribute to the sense of place and continuity if 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?

  Despite modifications to the ground floor of the building, the front façade retains a high level of authenticity of design and fabric.

• Representative

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

  The building is a fine example of a 1930s commercial building.

• Importance

  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 Cuba Street Heritage Area.

Not assessed

• Kelly, Michael. “T & G Building – A Significance Assessment” 11 November 2011.
• Kelly, Michael and Russell Murray, Cuba Street Heritage Area Report (Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006), 40.
• Wellington City Council, “191 Cuba Street,” Wellington Heritage Building Inventory 2001: Non-Residential Buildings. (Wellington City Council, 2001), CUBA 27.
• Wellington City Council, Cuba Street Heritage Area spreadsheet (block 4). (Wellington City Council: Unpublished report, prepared for Plan Change 48, 2006).
• Newspapers: Wanganui Herald, 8 April 1907
• Newspapers: “A New Drapery Company,” Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1929, Page 14
• Newspapers: “Patrick's Stores,” Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 102, 27 October 1931, Page 3
• Newspapers: Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 102, 27 October 1931, Page 14 (Advertisements Column 2)

• Inventory Report
• 1930 plans

Not available