Whanganui heritage building Victoria Court is up for sale. Photo / Bevan Conley
Whanganui heritage building Victoria Court is up for sale. Photo / Bevan Conley
A heritage building at the heart of Whanganui’s Victoria Avenue is on the market.
Victoria Court, listed in Whanganui District Council’s heritage inventory as a class-B building, is up for sale, and Property Brokers’ agent Gil Button said the building’s central location and history were a drawcard.
“It’s in a high-profile part of the city centre. From a historic point of view, it’s the opportunity to own an admired building by many people who come to Whanganui.”
He said the building’s owner had made significant upgrades.
“The building is earthquake-prone, with a rating of 15 per cent NBS on one end and 25 per cent NBS on the other. The reason for sale is the owner is a United States-based New Zealand citizen.”
Heritage buildings were gems within the city and the Victoria Court building was a prime example, Button said.
“Heritage buildings requiring attention to facade upgrades, and for future earthquake strengthening purposes, have assistance and advice in abundance, readily available to current and future owners expressly for this work. That assistance is both financial and practical. Victoria Court, the central-city Grand Old Lady, will also attract this support should future owners require it.”
Victoria Court was constructed in two identical halves. Photo / Bevan Conley
The Whanganui district heritage inventory states that Victoria Court was built in 1919/20 on a site that housed livery stables from 1888-1895, owned by Canadian-born James Smiley.
Smiley came to Whanganui in 1870, first running the Rutland Livery Stables before moving up Victoria Ave to the Victoria Court site.
After Smiley died in 1895, Chas Jefferson ran the stables from 1903 to 1914, before it was demolished and Victoria Court was created.
The multi-tenant building was constructed in two identical halves, except for the front facades, one Ionic, the other Corinthian. The right side of the building was created for Whanganui Meat Freezing Co and the left was formerly the offices of Norwich Union Insurance.
There were 12 tenants in Victoria Court at present, Button said.
“The building itself caters to several smaller businesses that are important in our city centre. There are national tenants such as Specsavers, Farmers, Spark and banks nearby, and the civil engineers are next door.”
The building, with a 1012sq m land area and a 1084sq m floor area, has internal stairways to the upper floors and a walk-through from Victoria Ave to Watt Street.
Victoria Court is for sale by tender, with the listing closing at 12.30pm on Wednesday, June 12.
