Built or heavily remodelled in 1900, the former Cleave's Building is a key component an important group of historically significant commercial buildings in Vulcan Lane off Auckland's Queen Street. Until 1912 the place was the commercial premises of Arthur Cleave a noted Auckland businessman who had founded his print and publishing enterprise at the address over two decades earlier.
Prior to the founding of colonial Auckland in 1840, the Queen Street gully was known as Horotiu and was subject to intermittent Maori occupation. Vulcan Lane was created as one of Auckland's initial colonial thoroughfares, and consisted of a narrow alleyway connecting Queen Street and High Street in the town's commercial district. A single-storey brick store had been erected on the site possibly as early as 1858-9 and certainly by 1866. The use of brick was obligatory after the introduction of building regulations to control fire in the commercial quarters of Auckland during the mid 1850s. In 1871 politician James Farmer purchased the building, by which time extensions including a second storey may have been completed. The structure was leased to wine and spirit merchants until about 1880, then used as offices for the Free Lance newspaper. At this time Vulcan Lane was noted both for its drinking culture and as a focus for the printing industry.
In 1889, the premises were taken over Arthur Cleave (1862?-1933), who established a successful printing and publishing business there. Cleave was a significant colonial publisher, with popular titles including the Auckland Provincial Directory and the New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review (the latter for a time the industry magazine of licensed victuallers). Pressure for larger premises may have resulted from new technology in the printing trade, and the launch of new publications such as the New Zealand Illustrated Magazine which included contributions from noted New Zealand writers and illustrators. In 1899, Cleave purchased the property and temporarily relocated the business early the following year to enable rebuilding or remodelling of the printing works.
It is unclear whether the resulting brick premises were entirely new or incorporated parts of the earlier structure. Its architect is also unknown. The enlarged three-storey building exhibited ornate Italianate influences of a type favoured by the late-Victorian and Edwardian mercantile community. Its upstairs windows appear to have been larger than those generally adopted for earlier commercial premises, potentially allowing better visibility inside the printing works. The ground floor may have accommodated a large shop with a side passage providing access to a rear store room and basement. Cleave sold the property in 1910, moving his printing business to yet larger premises in Vulcan Lane in 1912.
The new owner-occupant was a coal merchant and former seafarer, Captain James Smith. Smith had a fourth storey added to the building in circa 1912, using a similar architectural style. Tenants prior to 1920 included racing secretaries who benefited from the location between the Queen's Ferry and Occidental Hotels in Vulcan Lane, at this time the unofficial bookmakers' headquarters in Auckland. Music importer and professional musician Arthur Eady subsequently purchased the property, leasing it out to a variety of businesses. Alterations in the mid twentieth century included the creation of new shop frontages and rearrangement of internal staircases. The shop was remodelled in 1957 for Brenner's Contemporary Design Centre, one of the first modernist design stores in New Zealand. The building suffered fire damage to its roof and upper floor in 1972, and was successively purchased and sold by property and investment companies between 1979 and 2003. Extensive renovations carried out in 1998, included a new shop front and the creation of a central staircase. It remains in commercial use as a bar and a restaurant (2009).
The former Cleave's Building has aesthetic significance for its ornamental Italianate façade and its visual contribution to an important heritage streetscape. It has architectural significance as a surviving purpose-built or remodelled printery, and as a small-scale urban building of a type that once characterised the heart of Auckland's colonial commercial centre. The place has cultural significance as the place of publication of the New Zealand Illustrated Magazine which aspired to contribute to the development of a national identity. It has historical significance for its strong association with the New Zealand printing and publishing industry and particularly with Arthur Cleave a figure of regional significance. The place also has historical significance for the various commercial uses it housed over time, reflecting the changing character of commerce and small business in inner city Auckland for over a century.
Prior to the founding of colonial Auckland in 1840, the Queen Street gully was known as Horotiu and was subject to intermittent Maori occupation. Vulcan Lane was created as one of Auckland's initial colonial thoroughfares, and consisted of a narrow alleyway connecting Queen Street and High Street in the town's commercial district. A single-storey brick store had been erected on the site possibly as early as 1858-9 and certainly by 1866. The use of brick was obligatory after the introduction of building regulations to control fire in the commercial quarters of Auckland during the mid 1850s. In 1871 politician James Farmer purchased the building, by which time extensions including a second storey may have been completed. The structure was leased to wine and spirit merchants until about 1880, then used as offices for the Free Lance newspaper. At this time Vulcan Lane was noted both for its drinking culture and as a focus for the printing industry.
In 1889, the premises were taken over Arthur Cleave (1862?-1933), who established a successful printing and publishing business there. Cleave was a significant colonial publisher, with popular titles including the Auckland Provincial Directory and the New Zealand Sporting and Dramatic Review (the latter for a time the industry magazine of licensed victuallers). Pressure for larger premises may have resulted from new technology in the printing trade, and the launch of new publications such as the New Zealand Illustrated Magazine which included contributions from noted New Zealand writers and illustrators. In 1899, Cleave purchased the property and temporarily relocated the business early the following year to enable rebuilding or remodelling of the printing works.
It is unclear whether the resulting brick premises were entirely new or incorporated parts of the earlier structure. Its architect is also unknown. The enlarged three-storey building exhibited ornate Italianate influences of a type favoured by the late-Victorian and Edwardian mercantile community. Its upstairs windows appear to have been larger than those generally adopted for earlier commercial premises, potentially allowing better visibility inside the printing works. The ground floor may have accommodated a large shop with a side passage providing access to a rear store room and basement. Cleave sold the property in 1910, moving his printing business to yet larger premises in Vulcan Lane in 1912.
The new owner-occupant was a coal merchant and former seafarer, Captain James Smith. Smith had a fourth storey added to the building in circa 1912, using a similar architectural style. Tenants prior to 1920 included racing secretaries who benefited from the location between the Queen's Ferry and Occidental Hotels in Vulcan Lane, at this time the unofficial bookmakers' headquarters in Auckland. Music importer and professional musician Arthur Eady subsequently purchased the property, leasing it out to a variety of businesses. Alterations in the mid twentieth century included the creation of new shop frontages and rearrangement of internal staircases. The shop was remodelled in 1957 for Brenner's Contemporary Design Centre, one of the first modernist design stores in New Zealand. The building suffered fire damage to its roof and upper floor in 1972, and was successively purchased and sold by property and investment companies between 1979 and 2003. Extensive renovations carried out in 1998, included a new shop front and the creation of a central staircase. It remains in commercial use as a bar and a restaurant (2009).
The former Cleave's Building has aesthetic significance for its ornamental Italianate façade and its visual contribution to an important heritage streetscape. It has architectural significance as a surviving purpose-built or remodelled printery, and as a small-scale urban building of a type that once characterised the heart of Auckland's colonial commercial centre. The place has cultural significance as the place of publication of the New Zealand Illustrated Magazine which aspired to contribute to the development of a national identity. It has historical significance for its strong association with the New Zealand printing and publishing industry and particularly with Arthur Cleave a figure of regional significance. The place also has historical significance for the various commercial uses it housed over time, reflecting the changing character of commerce and small business in inner city Auckland for over a century.
