Dilworth Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dilworth Building |
|
|---|---|
The building seen from the north-west.
|
|
| General information | |
| Type | Mixed-use |
| Architectural style | Neo-classical |
| Address | Corner of Customs Street and Queen Street |
| Inaugurated | 1927 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | William Gummer & Reginald Ford |
| Designated: | 18 May 1989 |
| Reference #: | 4600 |
The Dilworth Building is a special old building in Auckland CBD, New Zealand. It stands right at the corner of Customs Street and Queen Street. This building is called "mixed-use" because it has shops on the ground floor and apartments for people to live in on the upper floors.
It was designed by famous architects William Gummer & Reginald Ford. The building was constructed between 1925 and 1927. Today, it is listed as a "Historic Place - Category I" by Heritage New Zealand, which means it's a very important historical site.
The Dilworth Building was once imagined as one half of a grand "gateway" to the city. It was meant to have a matching building on the other side of Queen Street, but that second building was never built.
History of the Dilworth Building
The Dilworth Building was built because of a man named James Dilworth. He wanted to create a rental property to help pay for students to attend the Dilworth Ulster Institute. This institute later became the well-known Dilworth School.
When it was first built, the Dilworth Trust Board office was on the 9th floor. The rest of the building was rented out to different businesses and people. The Dilworth Trust sold the building in the 1980s. However, some of the original designs and features inside the building are still there today.
Over the years, the Dilworth Building has been home to important offices. It once housed the American consulate. During World War II, it even served as a main headquarters for the U.S. Army in Auckland.
