Legal description

Pt Sec 487 Town of Wellington

Location Description

Building name- original- Rawson Residence.[ Rainey Collins is later owner in 1970s [lawyers].1984-owners are Woodward Corporation [South Pacific] ltd. A large high rise with only facades kept was proposed but did not go ahead. Building dated as designed in 1904 and contract 20 January 1905.Photographs of the 1904 design drawings are held by Wellington Counci and photographs of the 1905 drawings are held by HNZPT.[Incorrect dating on listing.] Known as the Rawson Residence- a 10 bedroom residence with office accomodation [including dentisit surgery].Built by James D. Wilson. Exterior rusticated brick with stone facings. Two levels below Terrace for the detistry and the residence the three above. Original building five levels [5th mainly roof but included two bedrooms and externally a large promenade deck]. Building date on listing is inaccurate. 1906 photographs of exisitng building are held on file. 1952-3 original roof and upper room removed. 1980s the upper roof was replaced with mansard roof and spaces. 1977 mainly intact residence with grand staircase, panelling and decoartive features including plaster ceilings.Panelling, stairs and fireplace shown in 1994 drawings. By 1983 balcony had been removed.Lawyers resident. c 1985 Athfield Architects undertook a major change which included the full floors. Brick chimneys on roof line there in 1980s but gone by 1995.Chimneys all survived inside as part of the wall construction. Listed by Wellington City Council initially in 1979 but redrawn after owner appeal in the 1980s. 2018 most of the interiors have been stripped of plaster on walls and ceilings [may date to the 1980s]. All timber panel and fireplace surrounds have gone but the fireplaces and hearths remain. Level 2- 5 retain historic timber floors with the upper floor being built on top of for the later mansard.Surviving fabric includes the timber floors, two old interior walls with wide skirting, fireplaces with tiled hearths, evidence of roof promenade surface, front entrance doors and panelling and half of the curved wall of the old drawing room. Details on the exterior include the chimneys and at the quay end a chimney survives above the parapet [yard balcony] with two chimney pots, wrought iron front door screen, balcony railings, old fire escape. Site is also pre 1900 with earlier cottages having been built on the site. Also recorded NZAA site.Alleyway to quay side was driveway to the stables. Rawson owned buildings down to Quay.