NBR Rich Lister Peter Cooper says the $30 million heritage renovation is among the most demanding jobs his team has tackled in 20 years of Britomart development.
WATCH: Peter Cooper gives a tour of the refurbished CPO building.
Auckland’s Chief Post Office, built in 1912, has entered a new phase of life with a $30 million makeover.
Postal services left the Edwardian waterfront landmark decades ago, and since 2003, its ground floor has served thousands of commuters each day as the entry to Waitematā Station. The three office floors above had sat mostly idle, until now.
The CPO building.
Cooper and Company, working with Cheshire Architects, has completed the refurbishment, targeting a 6 Green Star rating. If this is achieved, it would be the first for a heritage building in New Zealand. It’s also aiming for Well Gold certification.
NBR Rich Lister Peter Cooper said the CPO was among the most demanding jobs his team had tackled in 20 years of Britomart development. “This would be the most complex and biggest and most significant of any of the projects we’ve done around here,” he said. “It was worthy of that attention to detail.”
That detail shows in the new glass-roofed atrium, cut into the original lightwell. The century-old stained-glass domes have been preserved as part of the atrium floor, still bringing daylight down to the concourse. “Getting the penetration of natural light all the way down was important,” Cooper said. “That’s the beauty of careful restoration. It allows natural beauty designed 100 years ago to be understood and seen still.”
The project also reflects changing standards in sustainable construction. Materials were carefully selected for their lower carbon footprint, and waste was heavily recycled to limit what went to landfill. Systems were chosen to cut peak electricity demand. Air quality has been enhanced with increased fresh air circulation. Cooper said the approach was about setting the building up for the next century.
The atrium.
He also emphasised the breadth of the team. “Everyone that worked on it was an owner and thought of it in those terms. It was a big, big team.” He highlighted the strong presence of women in leadership roles, which is rare in construction, singling out the new chandelier in the heritage stairwell, created with Monmouth Glass, as an example of the project’s “very beautiful feminine touch”.
Development director Campbell Williamson said the most complex work was invisible. “We had a tight programme and there was a lot of structural work to do at the same time as the architectural work. Floors and ceilings were cut open. The trick is the structural work is well hidden and concealed … so the heritage is what you see.”
Development manager Deidre Gourlay said the design brief was simple to say but hard to deliver: “Marry modern performance with historic integrity. Cheshire were careful about taking the building back to its original and then creating a contemporary feel that is sensitive to the heritage. We are proud to return an icon to the city that will last for another 100 years.”
The Guardians of the New Zealand Superannuation Fund will anchor the new space. John Redwood, speaking for the Guardians, said staff reaction to the refurbished building was enthusiastic.
Their own fit-out will begin next week, with about 225 staff expected to move in during 2026. The organisation has signed a 10-year lease with an option for another 10 years.
“We take a long-term view,” Redwood said. “This building is going to be home for a while. Being right on top of the station is a positive. People can keep the same bus or train. It makes the move low stress.”
The chandelier in the stairwell.
For Cooper, the building is also personal. He recalled visiting his aunt, who worked in the CPO during World War II. “I would get on the tram from Mount Eden and come in here and see my auntie at work. It had such an impact on me. It was inspirational to be able to restore this building.”
The refurbishment comes in the same year Cooper and Company marked 20 years of Britomart development. In 2003, the downtown precinct was a run-down, sometimes unsafe part of the city. Two decades later, it is widely regarded as the jewel of the CBD, with more than 18 heritage buildings restored and a thriving mix of offices, hospitality, retail and the award-winning Hotel Britomart.
“Twenty-odd years later, here we are. We’re not finished yet,” Cooper said.
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