The Ponsonby Post Office is a historic post office in Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand, listed as a category 1 building. Designed in 1912 by John Campbell with an Edwardian Baroque style. The post office remained in use until 2002 when the building became to be used for hospitality and other commercial businesses.
| Ponsonby Post Poffice | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ponsonby Post Office | |
| General information | |
| Type | Post office |
| Architectural style | Edwardian Baroque |
| Location | Three Lamps, Ponsonby |
| Address | 1-3 St Marys Road and College Hill, Ponsonby |
| Town or city | Auckland |
| Coordinates | 36°50′50″S 174°44′41″E / 36.84723936313432°S 174.7445847003885°E |
| Year(s) built | 1912 |
| Cost | £3700 |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Brick, cement, rimu (interior) |
| Floor count | 2[1] |
| Floor area | 537m²[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John Campbell |
| Designated | 7 July 1987 |
| Reference no. | 628 |
History
editThe Auckland City Council purchased the land in 1900 for £1,200. The purchase included a property which was used as the original post office.[2] The current building was designed by John Campbell, who had held the position of government architect since 1909. Campbell preferred the Edwardian Baroque style for civic buildings and the Ponsonby Post Office was aldo designed in an Edwardian Baroque style. The post office was constructed in 1912 at a cost of £3,700.[3] The original design had a clock tower but the finished building did not contain one. Local residents formed a committee and funded half of the construction costs of a clock tower.[2][3] The clock tower was installed in 1913.[3]
.jpg)
It was considered as an earthquake risk in the 1940s but was not demolished. In the 1970s, there were concerns again, and $11,000 worth of renovations were undertaken. Auckland City Council sold the post office in 1992 to Portmain Properties. Auckland City Council continued to lease the property until 2002 as a post office.[4]
Auckland Council are responsible for rewinding the clock, a weekly requirement.[5] The building was strengthened in 2012 and meets all of the seismic strengthening standards for buildings.[1][3]
Since 2020, a hospitality venue has been based in the ground floor of the building.[6]
Description
edit
The Ponsonby Post Office is a heavily ornamented Edwardian Baroque building. The building forms a triangle with the entrance being the peak of it. It has a balustraded parapet and elaborate façade.[3]
Significance
editStuff referred to the building as one of the most recognisable heritage buildings in Auckland.[1]
The building is highly regarded by the local residents and it serves a landmark for the Three Lamps area.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Taunton, Esther (21 November 2023). "Heritage-listed Ponsonby Post Office on the market". Stuff.
- ^ a b Stewart, Di; Petry, Bruce (1995). Ponsonby Road and Jervois Road, Heritage Study, Volume 1: Auckland City (Report). Auckland City Council.
- ^ a b c d e f "Ponsonby Post Office". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand.
- ^ Taylor, Colin (6 November 2003). "Post office leaves stamp on history". New Zealand Herald.
- ^ "Ponsonby landmark back on market". interest.co.nz. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- ^ "The iconic Ponsonby Post Office gets a new lease on life as Hotel Ponsonby, a bustling new gastropub". Denizen. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
External links
edit
Media related to Ponsonby Post Office (former) at Wikimedia Commons