Warehouse Precinct facts for kids
The Warehouse Precinct is a cool part of Dunedin, a city in New Zealand. It's an old area that used to be right by the docks. Today, it's about 1 to 2 kilometers south of The Octagon, which is the very center of Dunedin. This area is famous for its old buildings and a lively new feel.
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Where is the Warehouse Precinct?
The Warehouse Precinct is in the southern part of Dunedin's city center. It runs along streets like Crawford Street and Cumberland Street, which are part of State Highway 1. It also reaches west to Princes Street.
The northern edge of the area is marked by Queens Gardens. This is a city park where you'll find Dunedin's main war memorial. There isn't a clear southern end, but many of the new improvements go as far as Police Street. Key streets in the area include Bond, Crawford, Vogel, and Cumberland Streets. Other streets crossing them are Rattray, Liverpool, Jetty, and Police Streets.
Many buildings in the Warehouse Precinct are quite old. They were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Some show styles like Classical revival or Chicago school architecture. A few of these historic buildings were even designed by a famous local architect named R. A. Lawson.
A Look Back: History of the Precinct
As its name suggests, this area was once the main hub for wholesale trade in Dunedin. It was built close to the city's docks. Over time, land was reclaimed from the sea. This means the precinct is now a bit further inland from the wharves.
Many of Dunedin's grandest old buildings are here. A lot of them were built during or right after the Central Otago Gold Rush in the 1860s. This was a time when many people came to New Zealand hoping to find gold.
A more modern structure is the Jetty Street overbridge. This bridge goes over Vogel and Cumberland Streets and the main railway line. It connects the state highway to Dunedin's wharves. In 2017, the area around the overbridge on Vogel and Jetty Streets was made into a pedestrian-friendly space. It now has street art and special furniture.
The Precinct Today
In recent years, several streets in the Warehouse Precinct have been given a makeover. Vogel Street is a great example. Before the 1990s, it had many empty warehouses. Now, it's been updated with new trees and paving. The old bluestone kerbstones, which are very historic, have been carefully kept.
Public art is a big part of the area now. Both Vogel Street and Bond Street have many large murals. These are painted by artists from Dunedin and other countries. You can find more murals in nearby areas like The Exchange. Because of these changes, the precinct now has many cool cafes and art spaces. The Dunedin City Council plans to update Bond Street in a similar way.
All these improvements have made the Warehouse Precinct a popular place. More businesses and property developers are interested in the area.
Vogel Street Party
Every October, a fun street festival called the Vogel Street Party takes place. It started in 2014 and happens every year, except for 2018. The festival includes:
- Live music and performances
- Art displays
- Interactive activities
- Street food vendors
Many of the renovated buildings open their doors to show off the changes. The festivals have also featured fashion shows and light displays.
Some Vogel Street Parties have had special themes:
- 2015: "Literature and Light." This celebrated Dunedin becoming a UNESCO City of Literature.
- 2016: "Connections." This theme highlighted the links between Dunedin and the rest of the world.
- 2017: "Ideas and Incubation." This focused on Dunedin as a city of education and new ideas.
- 2019: "Dunedin Icons."
This festival now attracts over 15,000 people each year. They come from Dunedin and other parts of New Zealand.
Queens Gardens
Queens Gardens is a triangular park with trees and grass. It's at the northern end of the Warehouse Precinct. Major roads surround the park, including parts of SH 1.
Several important structures are in the gardens:
- A Celtic Cross, built in 2000, marks the end of the second Christian millennium. It represents Dunedin's first European settlers.
- Statues of Queen Victoria and Donald M. Stuart, one of Dunedin's founding fathers.
- The city's main war memorial, Dunedin Cenotaph, built between 1924 and 1927.
The gardens are a special place for ANZAC Day commemorations every April.
Famous Buildings in the Area
Many buildings in and near the Warehouse Precinct are listed on the Heritage New Zealand register. This means they are important historic places. Some of these include:
- Consultancy House, on Bond Street.
- The former Union Steam Ship Company Offices, on Vogel Street.
- The Wood Adams Building, on Bond Street.
- The Moritzon Building, on Bond Street.
- The Guardian Royal Exchange Building, on Liverpool Street.
- Equitable Insurance Association Building (Phoenix House), in Queens Gardens.
- New Zealand Insurance Company Building, in Queens Gardens.
Other notable buildings include Vogel House and Reid Wool Exchange, both on Vogel Street. They were designed by Robert Lawson. Also, the former Evening Star printing offices on Bond Street are famous. They were designed by William Mason and built in 1881.
Jetty Street Overbridge
The Jetty Street Overbridge, also known as the Wharf Street Overbridge, connects Crawford Street with Wharf Street near Otago Harbour. It crosses Vogel Street and the city's railway lines. From here, it links to the inner wharves and Portsmouth Drive, a main road to Otago Harbour. When the bridge was built in the late 1970s, the railway yards were much bigger. Later, some tracks were removed, and parts of the land were used for shops.
This overbridge replaced an older one from the 1880s. The old bridge was special because it was the first to use steel made in New Zealand. However, it was too narrow for modern traffic. So, a new bridge was needed. The old bridge was taken down in 1977. All that remains are its stone supports, built from Port Chalmers bluestone. The support on Vogel Street has been kept as part of the Warehouse Precinct.
