The onset of World War II some years later also meant no progress would be made.
By 1958, the Napier City Council finally began the process of new premises and appointed architect Barry Sweet (1927-2013) from the firm Malcolm Sweet Parker.
Council staff had been working in three locations – an old boarding house, rented offices in Herschell St and council offices in Herschell St.
Mayor Peter Tait (1915-1996) said staff had been working in "appalling conditions in the old Shortland's boarding house and more recently in derelict offices in Herschell St".
Such was the condition of the boarding house and rented offices that both buildings were demolished after the staff vacated them.
A decision was to be made on the future of the Herschell St council building - which would be saved and later become an education centre as part of the nearby Hawke's Bay Museum (now MTG) before being shifted to in Byron St in 2011 to be used by Creative Arts Napier (CAN).
When making the decision where to site the new municipal building, the council couldn't agree on the location.
Over the years, Clive Square West, Dickens St, Tiffen Park (next to the Municipal Theatre) and the existing council chambers site on Marine Parade had all been considered by council.
To move from this stalemate, Auckland town planning expert Professor R T Kennedy was consulted, and he recommended a new site – that on Hastings and Station Sts, which was chosen by council in May 1960.
The council then borrowed £90,000 (2017: $1.6 million) to purchase the land (and to widen Dalton St).
Previously this site had contained a picture theatre called the Empire Theatre, which had opened around 1911.
After the theatre closed about 1917, dances, boxing matches and skating were held there.
Zenith Transport was occupying the building at the time of the 1931 Hawke's Bay Earthquake, and while it was damaged, it was restored.
After Zenith departed it was used as an auction house, electroplating centre, motor garage and MacDonnell's photo service (upstairs) before the building was demolished to make way for the municipal building.
Barry Sweet had travelled to Europe, Scandinavia and the United States during 1960 and was influenced by the many civic buildings he had seen – "I liked the idea of setting back the building and having a generous forecourt to give a certain grandness for New Zealand design".
The design theme of the building, Barry explained, was provided by the "windowless council chambers – where deliberations are made by the chosen councillors determining the destiny of the city – and which protrude as a strong dominant element from the main office structure over the entrance court to express its function and importance".
Construction began in 1964 by the contractor, W M Angus Ltd. Working as a plasterer subcontractor was Doug Dalton (1913-1995). His son, Bill Dalton – who would become mayor of Napier in 2013 – worked on the building helping his dad during the school holidays.
In 1965, after a year into the project, it became apparent that rising costs would mean changes to the building would have to be made.
The planned library and two floors for the city engineering department had to be abandoned.
Room for expansion of the building, however, was allowed for by way of a wing towards Vautier St (which then went right past the civic building and court house).
As the site was sloping, two public entrances were created – one from Hastings St into the administration floor, while the lower level contained the traffic and municipal electricity departments.
There was also a service entrance on the lower level from Vautier St.
The building was constructed in reinforced concrete. Dropped panel slabs eliminated the need for internal beams – which was a new construction method at the time.
The aluminium windows were designed so they could be cleaned from the inside. Heart rimu wood was used in the council chamber and in the offices of the head of departments. A washable plastic was sprayed onto the interior plaster and block work.
The reception area and cafeteria had hand-printed New Zealand-made wallpaper, while all other areas were lined with grass cloth and plastic washable papers.
Town Clerk L P Ryan said the total cost of the project was about $700,000 (2017: $12.2 million) including the internal fit out.
The Napier Municipal Building was opened by the Prime Minister, Keith Holyoake, at 2.30pm on September 23, 1968. The Napier public were invited to then inspect the building and have afternoon tea in the cafeteria on the top floor.
As Napier had recently absorbed Taradale into its boundary, the staff of the former borough council also moved into the new building as well as the Napier City Council employees from the three buildings they had been occupying.
Over the years, as can be seen from the photo, the building has been altered from its original as council employees increased in number.
Part of the next door 1980s Napier City Council Library building has also been occupied in recent years as more room has been needed.
In June 2017 a report stated that at its weakest point the Napier Municipal Building met only 10 per cent of the new building code.
In response to this, other sites were sought to house employees of the council and mayor and councillors, who by next week should all be housed in three buildings in Napier's CBD.
A decision on the future of the 1968 Napier Municipal Building and site is under consideration by Napier City Council.
• Michael Fowler is taking a walking and bus tour of Hastings Art Deco during the Tremains Art Deco Festival on February 15, 2018. Book at iTicket.
• Michael Fowler (mfhistory@gmail.com) is an EIT accounting lecturer, and in his spare time a recorder of Hawke's Bay's history.
