Hastings CBD Heritage Inventory Project HOLDEN S BUILDINGS OTHER NAMES: Nutters Building, Café Camille LOCATION: Street and Number: 200-206 Heretaunga Street East Location: Corner of Heretaunga Street East and Karamu Road North City/ Town: Hastings Region: Hawke s Bay Photo: R. Murray, 2012 LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Legal Description: Lot 1 and Part Lot 2 DP 3504 and Lot 2 DP 4459 Certificate of Title (including Registry): HB E1/1150, Hawke s Bay Registry Page 1
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANCE: Architectural Value: This building is a good example of an Art Deco-style low-rise commercial building; its decorative features are well-balanced and provide texture and interest to what would otherwise be a plain building form. The original terrazzo panels on the Karamu Road elevation indicate a building of some quality, designed by an architect who had an important influence in the rebuilding of the city after the Napier earthquake. Historic Value: Holden s Buildings is very likely to have been either owned by or closely associated with the Holden family for the whole of its existence. The Holden association with the land stretches back even before the present building was constructed in 1934. This has some significance from a local, historical perspective as the building is a reasonably well-known corner landmark. Otherwise, the building has no more than typical, representative historic value. Aesthetic Value: Holden s Buildings has townscape value as an assured piece of architecture on a prominent and busy CBD intersection, both the Heretaunga and Karamu Street elevations being treated equally. It enhances the character of the area, being compatible in scale and design with its neighbours. Technological Value: There is technological value in the reinforced concrete construction of the building, and in the terrazzo work, which is now rarely seen in buildings of this period, especially in the context of exterior cladding. Social Value: The retail outlets in this building, particularly the various cafés that have occupied the building over many decades, give the building reasonable local, social significance. HISTORY: Holden Buildings is named for Jack Holden, a Tikokino sheep farmer who purchased the land on the corner of Heretaunga Street and Karamu Road in 1918. 1 From 1921 the property was managed by the J. W. Holden Trust. Original trustees included James McLeod, a merchant, and lawyers David Scannell and Walter McLean, 2 who were partners in a law firm. 3 1 CT HB 62/270, LINZ, Napier 2 Ibid. 3 Specifications, Record No. 3974, Hastings District Council; See also Hastings Façade Enhancement Scheme Application (1994) for J. Holden Trust Partnership in building file (HDC file IN/101) Page 2
It is not known when the first building was constructed on this site, but it is likely to have predated Holden s purchase. By 1931 the building was occupied by Sutherland s Drapery, a business owned by Francis Nutter. 4 At the time of the earthquake, on 2 February that year, the building had a back section made of brick and a timber framed front part. The building was partially destroyed in the earthquake, with the brick part badly damaged. However, the front section was relatively unscathed and repairs were made to put the drapery back into business in late February 1931. 5 The drapery may have changed name to Nutters at this time (period photos show prominent signage). John Holden, by then the landlord, decided to build new premises on the same site in 1933 and well-known local architect Alfred Garnett was commissioned to design a replacement, using money lent by Holden. The building followed the corner in the same way as its predecessor. It was constructed by H. Abbott and was completed by 1934. Art Deco in style, the building was named Holden s Buildings and also featured, on its chamfered corner, distinctive permanent signage for Nutters. The plans by Garnett show a two-storey building, and it is possible the building was scaled back with the intent of completing it in the future. It was constructed with a concrete ceiling, apparently to make provision for further development involving a second storey 6 although no plans exist. In 1952, management of the property was transferred to accountant Kenneth Bayliss and land agent Paul Farrell. 7 Since 1978 the property has been managed by William Holden and Suzanne Pallesen. 8 In 2005 Pallesen sold her share to Holden and his sister Margaret Webster. 9 The building has capacity for a number of retail premises and there have been some notably long-standing uses of the building over time. Caferama was one of the long term tenants in the building after Nutter s Drapery closed in the 1960 s. Tenants have also included dry cleaners, booksellers, tailors, hairdressers and the BNZ. 10 It is currently occupied by Kippers Takeaways on the corner, a shoe shop, a hairdresser and a furniture and appliance shop. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Architect: A. Garnett Builder: H. Abbott Date of construction: 1933-34 Construction details: Reinforced concrete construction, terrazzo wall cladding (Karamu Street elevation) Description: Holden s Buildings is a single-storey structure, occupying the easterly corner of the Heretaunga Street East and Karamu Road intersection; it is a large building, almost square in plan, with equally prominent facades to both street elevations. The building and 4 Fowler, M 2007 From disaster to recovery: the Hastings CBD 1931-35, Michael Fowler Publishing Limited, Havelock North p. 70. 5 Ibid. 6 Pers. Comm. Bill Holden, 2006 7 CT HB E1/1150, LINZ, Napier 8 Ibid. 9 Pers. Comm. Bill Holden, 2006 10 Wises Street Directory, 1934-1960 Page 3
verandah chamfers elegantly around the corner. A large discordant modern sign is unduly prominent atop the building. The building has long horizontal proportions and strong and articulate Art Deco features, especially in the matching parapets; these step up to a central feature on each elevation which contains the date, 1934, set in a frame with keystones and roundels. Fluted banding stretches out on each side, with breaks for the name Holden s Buildings. The parapet steps up at the corner of the building, with a prominent radiator-like feature made of vertical ribs and the name Nutters set vertically. There is a band of glazing above the verandah, which gives light to the shop interiors, with chevron-like features protruding between every second window. The decorative features are gently picked out in soft colours that emphasise the well-balanced design. Parts of the original stayed verandah faces are visible behind modern hoardings. Below the verandah, the Karamu Street elevation has a relatively high level of authenticity; it is distinguished by the original terrazzo wall cladding that provides an interesting colour and texture to the pavement edge. Fluted terrazzo pilasters delineate the main structural bays and the corner doors. The last shop to the east retains an old, if not original, timber shop-front and there are two centre-pivoted oval windows set within the terrazzo nearby. The elegance of the Karamu Street elevation contrasts with the modern aluminium corner doors and the shop-fronts along Heretaunga Street. There are three shops on the Heretaunga Street side, long and deep in plan, with skylights towards the rear. Concrete columns and beams are exposed, and the infill panels between the columns (some now removed) are of brick. ELEMENTS OF ARCHITECTURAL IMPORTANCE: Element Form and detail of Heretaunga St façade above verandah Form and detail of Karamu Street façade Stayed verandah Significance Townscape, architectural, aesthetic Townscape, architectural, aesthetic Townscape, architectural MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Boyd M. 1984, City of the Plains: A History of Hastings, Victoria University Press for Hastings District Council Certificate of Title HB 62/270, LINZ Certificate of Title HB E1/1150, LINZ Fowler, M 2007 From disaster to recovery: the Hastings CBD 1931-35, Michael Fowler Publishing Limited, Havelock North p. 73. Wises Street Directory, 1934-1960 Wright M. 2001, Town and Country: The History of Hastings and District, Hastings District Council HDC permit records: Page 4
Reinforced concrete building for Trustees of the estate of J W Holden Esq. not dated, architect A Garnett. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION: NZHPT Register: Not registered District Plan: The Holden s Building is not specifically listed as a Heritage item in the Hastings District Plan, but is located within the Central Character Precinct. New Zealand Historic Places Act 1993: This site has been identified as a potential archaeological site under Section 2 of the New Zealand Historic Places Act 1993. OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS: Holden s Buildings prior to reconstruction ( Hastings Streets, Heretaunga, circa 1934, reference 191991/2, Alexander Turnbull Library) Heretaunga Street East view of building (Sarah Akers, 2009) Page 5
Karamu Road North view of building (K Pascall, 2012) Verandah edge and upper façade detail, 2012 Page 6
Pivoting timber window, Karamu Road elevation, 2012 Page 7
Terrazzo wall cladding and fluted pilaster, 2012 Page 8
ARCHIVE PLAN(S): Block of shops corner Heretaunga Street & Karamu Road for Trustees of J.W. Holden Esq. (1934) (TRIM Ref: 21356#0008) Page 9
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