The Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd Building (Former), constructed by the turn of the twentieth century and later modified, presents to Strathallan Street in central Timaru as a two storeyed commercial building and behind is long single storeyed block constructed of bluestone. The building has historical significance in adding to the story of late nineteenth and twentieth century stock and station commercial activity.

Edwin Guinness and Henry Le Cren Ltd set up business as stock agents and general merchants in Stafford Street, Timaru in 1891. The business grew rapidly so they shifted to larger premises in Strathallan Street. By the turn of the twentieth century there were already two separate buildings fronting 19-29 Strathallan Street, the easternmost one operating as Guinness and Le Cren’s land sales rooms by 1903. It is not clear if, from the start, the company also occupied some or all of the other, western, building including the stone block running almost the length of the western side which was seemed to have been in existence by 1892. It is the whole of this western building that is the List entry 2069 (Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd Building (Former)).

Constructed of brick and plaster, the two storeyed street-facing frontage of the Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd Building (Former) appears as a simplified neo-classical façade, with arched fenestration and door openings, decorative quoins and entrance canopy incorporating the number 27. The words COMMUNITY HOUSE run between the two floors to the west of the main entrance. Immediately to the west is the large three storeyed Hay’s Building (Former) on the corner of Stafford and Strathallan Streets. To the east is a vacant car park lot, from which the east elevation of the whole building is visible. The two storeyed component is approximately 14 metres deep, and much of its east side is plain brick without fenestration. Behind that, to the north, runs a single storeyed bluestone block, approximately 40 metres in length, with a hipped roof. The east elevation of the bluestone block incorporates five sash windows with quoins, whereas its west elevation, within the courtyard behind the Hay’s Building (Former), the block has no fenestration.

In 1919 the firm of Guinness and Le Cren amalgamated with Pyne and Company to form one of New Zealand’s largest stock and station agencies, Pyne, Gould, Guinness. In 1926 it appears that Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd relinquished the western of its two buildings at Strathallan Street and it was used as a motor garage. Renovations to that building were undertaken in 1929, the architect being C T Lucas and Mr Kennedy was the builder. Barristers and Solicitors Raymond, Raymond and Tweedy were operating out of 27 Strathallan Street, Timaru in 1945. In 1973, Pyne Gould Guinness again took up the western building and, after seismic strengthening and major interior refurbishing in 1991-2, their Timaru branch moved into this building and its previous building to the east was demolished in 1992. At this time the Christchurch architects, Warren and Mahoney, returned the Strathallan Street façade to a semblance of its earlier neo-classical style through the addition of new rusticated columns in the wide show windows, restoration of plastered window mouldings and quoins and the addition of a new cornice of neo-classical design. [In 2006 the building was purchased by the Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury and re-named Community House to reflect the 21 not-for-profit organisations that occupy it. Interior refurbishment was undertaken at that time by Murray Ackroyd of Dickson Lonergan Architects].