GOVERNMENT LIFE BUILDING

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 90, 10 January 1935, Page 8

GOVERNMENT LIFE BUILDING

Fresh Tenders Called SIZE OF STRUCTURE DOUBLED Fresh tenders for the construction of the big new eight-story building planned by the Government Life Insurance Department to be erected in Customhouse Quay, Wellington, have now been called. Constructional firms will have until March 15 to submit their prices, and work is expected to start immediately after that date. When tenders were originally sought by the Government architect, Mr. J. Mair, who has designed the building, rho intention then was to provide a building occupying only half the section. Tenders received iu response to the first invitation were found to be too high—-about £40,000 in excess of the architect’s estimate. It was found that the disparity was caused to some extent by insufficient allowance for the large steel content of the structure. Accordingly, the design was modified and it was decided to double the size of the building, using the entire section. Work has proceeded tor several months in the architect’s office, on the task of preparing detailed designs for the enlarged building. These are now complete, and tenders have been called on the new basis. The alteration in plan concerns only the rear part of the design, the front elevation, the architect’s drawing of which has already been published, not being affected. The specifications first brought down provided for a building to cover only the eastern half of the site in Customhouse Quay. It was considered at that rime that, all circumstances considered, and with the erection of other buildings in process of construction, the department’s requirements, plus possible lettings of space to other departments, would be more than met by covering half the spacious site with a building eight stories in height. After the tenders were received, however, the commissioner, Mr. W. A. Arnold, decided to invite tenders for the whole of the block instead of half. Certain modifications in the structural design have been completed, thus reducing the cost without toss of efficiency and strength. At the same time he considered that a building double tlm original size could be constructed more cheaply than if it were carried out in two halves at different periods. The deputy-commissioner of the department, Mr. J. W, Macdonald, said yesterday that.' it was not possible to state what the cost of the new plan would be until tenders were in band.