Defence House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Defence House |
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Defence House in 1939
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | 15–21 Stout Street, Wellington |
| Coordinates | 41°16′53″S 174°46′37″E / 41.28130°S 174.77695°E |
| Current tenants | Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
| Owner | Argosy Property Management |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 8 |
| Floor area | 21,000 square metres |
| Designated: | 10 September 1981 |
| Reference #: | 1356 |
Defence House is an old office building in Wellington, New Zealand. For many years, it was home to the New Zealand Defence Force, which looks after the country's military. After being empty for a while and getting a big makeover, it's now used by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). This government department helps New Zealand's economy grow.
The building is considered an important historic place by Heritage New Zealand. It is listed as a Category 2 historic building.
Contents
History of Defence House
Why the Defence Force Moved Out
The New Zealand Defence Force moved out of Defence House in 2007. They had been using the building since it was built in the 1940s. By 2007, the building was getting old and wasn't good enough for their needs anymore. The Defence Force said it looked "dull and dated" and its systems weren't working well.
They even had a special ceremony on February 23, 2007, to take down the Defence Force flags as they left.
New Owners and Tenants
In December 2012, a company called Argosy Property Management bought the building for $33.2 million. Soon after, in January 2013, Argosy signed a 12-year agreement with the New Zealand Government. This meant the government would rent the building for a long time.
MBIE Moves In
In late 2014, about 2,000 employees from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) moved into Defence House. These employees came from five different buildings around Wellington.
The move and the building's makeover cost about $16 million. Some people thought the costs were a bit high. For example, the MBIE sign outside the building cost almost $70,000. New office furniture for the staff cost about $360,000 in total.
