George Thomas and Co's New Premises

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 108, 5 March 1891, Page 4

George Thomas and Co's New Premises

Que;, of /the {best, business sites >in " "Wellington, that at 'the. .corner of _ Hunter-street and Customhouse-quay, ""■wiLUin iftfew^mbnths 1 tinie be occupied "j'"by' a warehouse to be erected for I Messrs' George Thomas and Co , the ' -weJUknowji fruit, grain, ~ -and general merchants, by Mr J. H. " Jfeyefc,-< whose itender was accepted a * few days ago As the work is to be ■* commenced at ouce, a short description - of theAouildiug, as shown on the - drawings, which have been prepared ty Mr' F. de J. Clere, FR I B A., * may be of interest. The site comprises two of the Harbour Board .-sections, and has frontages of 106 ft to * Customhouse-quay and 40ft to Huu- - ter-street, part of the land being 58ft - -deep, and abutting upon a reserve at - -the rear of the building The exterior * 'will preseut a Prench facade, composed - of red pressed biicks with stucco -facings, and surmounted by a Mansard rbof, a feature characteristic of Freieh baildings ; the total height of ~ theithree flats iuto which the, building is to be dividedi being 54,t The . southern end ofthe ground floor is to be^ (apportioned, into well arranged .•..offices let to the National Insurance v -Company, the entrauce to wbich will " l)e through' a doorway at the angle of the building. .About 40ft north of 'this point a large doorway will give laccess to; the auction rooms, while from the north end of the front a - cartway will pass through the building into the reserve, at the back. The ~ auction rooms on the ground floor are .rjto be used almost exclusively for Viruit sales, and have been specially 'designed with a view to giving rapid •delivery-, in order to save the confusion -and loss which often occur in rooms not built for the purpose of a fruit -and produce business. On this floor 'will be the offices of the principals, , Messrs F. W. Haybittle, aud E. B. Rristow, the general office, storeman's - office, auction clerks' office, and , grocery sales room, with lavatories and other conveniences. This floor will be 16ft high, and along ,one Bide there i9 to be a* wide gallery, which wijl .very materially increase the storage capacity of the place. From the main vestibule a st.iiicdse 6ft wide will' lead te tlie first floor. Thia floor is m'aiked "Auction Hall" and is meant for the sale of land and goods of high value. It is also designed with a view to letting for entertainments, public meetings, &c, oue end hepg pioyided with a platform, approached by a special staircase from the 'ground floor. The other end has large retiring rooms, with lavatory, &c, leading out from it. ,The hall has, been designed and arranged to comfortably seat 500 persons The top'flooi of the building is to be used exclusively for storage^ and has a capacity 'of about 56,000 cubic feet, or^ 300 tons buiden. Conveniently situated, for use there is to be -a hydraulic lif>, designs for which are now, .being -predated by Mr r John "Welshy, of this city, a geutlemari \iho lias, had large experience ih hydraulic engineering. ,The painting is to be r carried" out by yMeosis Tustin Bros. The„total cost will be a trifle uuder £30Cf0, and' we* have no doubt tbat the, growing*-biisineßß/of v this populai fiim .fully justifies Messrs George Thomas -pad Co. iv their enterprise.— Pott.