This romantic Queen Ann-style building on the corner of Dee and Don Streets in Invercargill was built in 1901 for the trustees of John Turnbull Thomson’s estate. Designed by prominent architect Cuthbert Brodrick, who inherited F.W. Burwell’s design mantle, and built by the Mair Brothers, it is an exuberant and significant building with aesthetic, architectural and social significance.

In August 1900, the Southern Cross reported that there was to be a ‘notable addition’ to the architecture of Invercargill in the shape ‘of a handsome building of three storeys at the corner of Dee and Don Streets.’ The building erected to the order of the trustees of John Turnbull Thomson’s estate, was to be divided into five shops, and a number of offices.

Invercargill architect Cuthbert Brodrick designed the building, advertising for tenders in September 1900. Brodrick, who had been articled to F.W. Burwell in Invercargill, practised in the North Island and studied in England before establishing his practice in Invercargill in 1900, awarded the tender to Invercargill contractors Mair Brothers. The contract was for over £4,000, with the building having a 75 foot (22.8 metre) frontage on Don Street, and a 45 foot (13.7 metre) frontage to Dee Street.

The timber buildings already on the site were demolished to make way for the ‘handsome, three-storeyed brick premises.’ The premises were nearly complete in March 1901, with the Southland Times reporting ‘that the second storey was nearly complete. ‘The style is Tudor, and will have a striking effect. The rooms on the lower storey are large, and with spacious cellars below, will make splendid shops. In the second storey the oriel windows will give a novel appearance to the building, and the third storey will complete a very handsome building, which will make a fine cornerpiece and be a wonderful improvement on the old dilapidated buildings which formerly stood there.’

Although initially unnamed, the building became known as the Alexandra Buildings, probably commemorating King Edward VII’s 1901 accession to the throne, with Alexandra beside him as Queen-Empress. The first tenants included auctioneer I.W. Raymond, and seedsman E.S. Perry. Another foundation tenant was the Invercargill Cycling Club (joined by the Physical Culture Club in May 1903). They occupied the whole upper flat of the buildings with a billiard room, two social rooms, and exercise hall. The Alexandra Tea Rooms opened in 1904. More unusual tenants included Madame Heller, ‘psychometrist, and Mr Heller-Kober, ‘metaphysician.’ Mr Mitchell, a surgeon-dentist also had rooms in the building. Long term tenants have included jewellers William A Brown and McLeay’s jewellers.

Design historian Michael Findlay writes that Broderick assumed Burwell’s mantle and filled the city with ‘great panache.’ The Alexandra building, Findlay writes, designed in ‘romantic Queen Ann-style…displays its mixed Elizabethan and Arts and Crafts elements on a prominent corner site, the formality of its location both emphasised by a squat and solid tower and relieved by its oval window and projecting bays.’

Over the years, the Alexandra Buildings have been altered to suit the changing needs of tenants – there were major renovations in 1937 supervised by architect A.G.A. Milne, while in the 1940s, some offices were converted to flats. In 2017, the building houses commercial and retail tenants, and includes residential accommodation on the upper floors.