COURTENAY PLACE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 736, 8 April 1910, Page 2

COURTENAY PLACE.

THE EVOLUTION OF A THOROUGH- ' FARE. Courtenay Place, the main approach to Wellington East, bids fair to be. come one of the most important trading thoroughfares in the city. Only a few years ago\the industries in that street" were confined to the Gas Company, . - : Stewart's mill, and Rouse - and Hurrell's coach factory, but the last decade has witnessed a rapid transforma- '-"''"-' tion. Private residences used to flank both sides of the street, but these have •■ disappeared . entirely from.' the north side,- and- only- a few -remain: on' \tbei-'- c; southern frontage,- their- places haying ' been taken 1 by • shops and warehouses. '■■. - - : The reason for this rapid change- 'is : - not very-obscure. Wellington has d*-i '' veloped with great rapidity on ' the ' ' slopes of Mount Victoria, from Rose- r : neath on the.north to Ellice"Street in ■"■' the south, which area very thickly '.-:■ populated. Then all the tramway!traffic for Oriental Bay, Kilbirnie, Mira-~ ' mavSeatoun, Lyail Bay. and Muritai".. passes along Courtenay Place;; the loca-. "' tion of the fresh food markets in the ::; -' locality has brisked upythe traffio in ;; .- that quarter; and-,the growth :of thi-i..: picture entertainment business there gives the .neighbourhood ;a ..lively air of/ -'."■ an evening. ; .'.!;" .' It is understood; that 'no land in; ' Courtenay Place can be bought for' : .-' under £100 per foot, arid at about that - price sections -have changed bands' within the past six months'.. Messrs: . ;: Taylor and Ramsay, plumbers; have> :" recently erected a brick shop and work-<"'-' shop on a site, that was-occupied as a' duelling, and other residences close by ' have been recently transformed into ' shops. -. •'..•'•'. ■.'.'.."■. The. latest building proposed is' on». by Dr.- Tolhurst, who is erecting :: a: : substantial brick shop and dwelling \- next to the post ciffice,'. and 'opposite' ■■■'■ the-tram terminus. -Tho seotiohhas■'!■ a frontage of 31ft., by a depth, of 99ft! " :: Messrs--'- Penty-"and jLiwrenqe, arcKi-; : r' tects, have accepted 'tho -.tender,:of- ■■'.'■' Messrs; James' Trevor and- 'Sons. for. its: •'■■''■' erection. A- shop front is also beingi .-' added to the next door residence.' -'•;. The fact that' all sections begin or! end at the'eastern extremity of XJourtenayt Place. for all tramcars that tra- ■ versfe 1 " that r Toute' : makes thaf'stoppingplace the busiest in; Wellington's tram- ■ .way' System. ■;"';• ' ■'-•' • - ' •;':; ■■■ :•-.'