Why is this place significant?

Why is this place Category 1 / Category 2?

Poppelwells Building, as it would later become known, was designed by architect Alfred Garnett and constructed by T. Hill as an investment property for Fitzpatrick and Co. in 1924. The property was leasehold, being land originally set aside for railway use but not required directly for that purpose. Land records are not available for this land until 1929, by which time Herbert Knight is shown as holding the lease of this land. Poppelwells Building survived the Hawkes Bay earthquake of 1931. Knight retained ownership of the building until 1964, when he transferred the lease to Poppelwell Building Ltd. It is this family firm and its long-standing association with the building that gives it its name. Wises Street Directories from the 1920s and 30s do not show street numbers for Russell Street, so it is difficult to be precise in establishing early occupants of the building. The building had commercial tenants on both floors, and, having a long street frontage, up to 12 occupants during its early period of use. By 1930, Poppelwell & Co., mercers, were occupying the building and the family business would remain associated with the building into the 21st century. They were joined in the building by its architect, Alfred Garnett, clearly pleased with his design. There was a range of other occupants, some of whom became long-standing tenants. Among them were businesses such as Anderson's tearooms, the Dominion Fish Co., and the stationers and booksellers at the northern end of the building, which changed hands a number of times but retained its original use. The New Zealand Aerial Mapping Co. was another early and significant tenant. The company was established in 1936 and, from 1937 until 1956, its founder Piet van Asch and his small staff ran New Zealand's first private aerial mapping company from Poppelwells Building. During this period - in 1948 - the company made internal alterations to its premises. In these early years, the company got most of its work from the government, including some vital mapping work undertaken during World War II. In 1956 it moved to purpose-built premises in Avenue Street. It is now New Zealand's oldest aviation firm. Links to early uses were maintained through the decades. The tearooms later became the Cake Shop, and then the Warren tearooms (now Warrens Bakery), another long-standing Hastings business, which dates back to 1891. Another interesting occupant in the middle of the 20th century was a piano tutor. The lease of the buildings remained in the hands of Poppelwell Building Ltd, who also remained occupants of the building. In 1988, the company sold the majority of the lease to William Dent and Peter Clifford. Three years later they sold it to John and Hilary Poppelwell. Building consents were issued in 2000 (changes to a kitchen for Warrens Bakery), 2001 (alterations for a café involving the demolition of internal walls) and 2002 (conversion of a shop to a hair cutting bar). After John Poppelwell's death in 2002, Hilary Poppelwell kept the building for two more years before selling it to Tainui Reserve Ltd. It continues to be used commercially. Among the current occupiers are a hairdressers, Warrens Bakery, a café and Paperfun. Poppelwells continues as a fashion store in Havelock North.

Poppelwells Building stands out in Hastings for its unusual design, with references to both the Stripped Classical style, and of Spanish Mission. Stripped Classical is seen in the quoins and keystones of the window openings, and in Greek key-patterned pilasters dividing the façade into six bays; Spanish Mission is seen especially in the deeply overhanging eaves breaking through the parapet, and in the red clay Cordova roof tiles both of this part of the main roof and the verandah roof. In addition, the main facade has several idiosyncratic details of the architects own imagination - the decorative brickwork panels on the parapet at either end of the elevation, standing out strongly against the plain plaster wall finish, and the pitched-roof verandah (supported with steel ties from the structure, there being no verandah posts) which is clad on the outside face in the clay tiles; these features render the building unusual in the city. There are four window openings under the central eaves, with a pair of windows at either end, making a well modulated façade that has plenty of visual interest. Despite changes to the retail outlets on the ground floor, above the level of the verandah the façade is completely unchanged from the original design. It fits well in the streetscape, an important component of the group of period buildings along the east side of Russell Street. Despite stylistic differences, its scale, colour and visual interest means it relates well to its neighbours. It is a two storey building, in reinforced concrete; the first floor is concrete, and the roof timber framed. The structure was clearly sound, since the building survived the Hawkes Bay earthquake with no recorded damage. UPDATE: (Based on site visit Imelda Bargas, March 2008) The interior of the first floor of the building remains largely intact including original fixtures and fittings. Features of interest on the interior include original fireplaces.

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A fully referenced registration report is available from the NZHPT Central Region office Please note that entry on the New Zealand Heritage List/Rarangi Korero identifies only the heritage values of the property concerned, and should not be construed as advice on the state of the property, or as a comment of its soundness or safety, including in regard to earthquake risk, safety in the event of fire, or insanitary conditions.