Britomart developer Cooper and Company has started work restoring two tired downtown Auckland buildings that date back to 1885.The buildings, Stanbeth House and Excelsior House, are next to each other on the corner of Customs St East and Commerce St.Excel
Britomart developer Cooper and Company has started work restoring two tired downtown Auckland buildings that date back to 1885.
The buildings, Stanbeth House and Excelsior House, are next to each other on the corner of Customs St East and Commerce St.
Excelsior House was built for tea, coffee and spice merchants Brown Barrett & Co, and was cut in half when Commerce St was widened in 1933 for railway station access.
Stanbeth House was built for produce merchants Coupland & Co, which established a grain and produce business in 1862.
Heritage architects Salmond Reed was consulted for the restoration work, which began on the two buildings in January.
Of the 17 heritage buildings in the Britomart buildings, once these two are complete there will be eight fully restored in the precinct, including the Northern Steamship Building and the Union Fish Building.
Its restored Charter House was the only New Zealand heritage building to achieve Green Star certification.
Cooper and Company chief executive Matthew Cockram said leasing for the buildings was going well, with food and beverage retailers confirmed for the ground floor and the boutique office spaces in the upper floors marketed to creative commercial tenants.
“The opening of these two buildings is particularly exciting for us because it will mean the entire Customs St East frontage of the precinct is activated at street level, from Debut at number 10 all the way round to The General Store on the corner of Britomart Place and Bike Central next door,” Mr Cockram said.
