Cultural Significance

This historic area was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Cultural/Social: The brick warehouses and stores of permanent materials and imposing appearance erected in Customs St East contributed to a perception by Auckland residents that the town was developing into a prosperous commercial centre.

Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic area was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Historical: The importance of the waterfront in the nineteenth and early twentieth century as the city's point of commercial contact with the rest of the colony and the world is reflected in the warehouse buildings which survive from the period. This large group of warehouses with their impressive facades represent Auckland's growth in harbour trade and increased prosperity at the turn of the century.

Physical Significance

This historic area was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Recommendation for Registration report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Architectural: Buildings on the northern side of Customs St East may be generally described as a group of multi-storeyed merchants' warehouses, on average four to five storeys in height, which were predominantly built around the turn of the century or shortly thereafter. Functional in plan, simple in form and notable for classical renaissance motifs in their street aspect, the warehouses combine to form a continuous street facade on the loose Italianate style, a style favoured by the commercial aristocracy for the prestige it bestowed. On the southern side, the buildings are more varied in age, scale and character and are interspersed with buildings of more modern origin. Aesthetic: The warehouse precinct makes a significant contribution to the visual amenities of Auckland City's downtown area. The significance of the Customs St warehouses lies not only in their contribution to the character of the downtown commercial area but also because of their association with the grand houses of Princes St. For example, "Pembridge" at 31 Princes St was the home of A.H. Nathan whose five storeyed warehouse stands at 42 Customs St East.