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. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The development of Customs St was anticipated as part of the reclamation of Commercial Bay in the plan of Auckland prepared by the Surveyor General, Felton Mathew, in 1841. The name Customhouse St, given by Mathew, had changed to Customs St by 1885. The foundation for the eventual importance of Customs St East as a commercial thoroughfare was laid with the removal of Point Britomart as part of a reclamation undertaken between 1879 and 1886. This facilitated better access and by 1903 Customs St was acknowledged as one of Auckland's most important commercial streets. The warehouses and stores erected in Customs St to provide storage, distribution and export-import of goods served a variety of businesses. Proximity to Queen St (Auckland's main street and principal shopping thoroughfare) enhanced the servicing of retail establishments and heightened the profile of general and fancy goods merchants and brand products. Nearby, the railway station was of major importance in the distribution of these goods. The majority of the buildings within the Customs St area have their origins in the economic boom of the early 1880s or the economic revival of the late 1890's following an intervening depression.
Location
List Entry Information
Overview
Detailed List Entry
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Area
Access
Able to Visit
List Number
7160
Date Entered
12th December 1994
Date of Effect
12th December 1994
City/District Council
Auckland Council
Region
Auckland Council
Extent of List Entry
Buildings along both sides of Customs St East, and into Britomart place & Fort St. Buildings include 10, 14-18, 20, 22, 26-28, 30, 34, 36-38, 40-46, 47, 48, 50, 54, 55, 57, 69, 79, 85, 87, 89 Customs St East; 2 Britomart Place; 89 Fort St.. The area extends continuously along the northern side of Customs Street East from numbers 10 to 54 (inclusive) and includes number 2 Britomart Place. With the exception of numbers 20, 26-28, 30 and 34, these buildings extend back to Galway Street, a narrow lane which runs parallel to Customs Street from Queen Elizabeth Square to Britomart Place. Commerce and Gore Streets divide the northern side of the street into three blocks. On the opposite (souther) side of the street, buildings have frontage to 47, 55, 57, 69, and 79 to 89 Customs Street East; and 89 Fort Street.