Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Plan saves threatened post office

By Doug Laing
Hawkes Bay Today·
7 Feb, 2013 07:48 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

A major blow for the protection of Napier's world-famed architectural heritage has been struck with plans to save the city's Central Post Office with a revitalised retail and office development.

An announcement from the building owners confirms the iconic building will be retained, allaying fears of removal of the upper floors or even complete demolition.

Fears had been held since the building was deemed earthquake-prone in 2011, sparking last year's departure of anchor tenants New Zealand Post and KiwiBank.

Building owners Waste of Space Aviation confirmed negotiations are now "in progress" with NZ Post and KiwiBank regarding their return.

The building will undergo restrengthening and renovation to transform all three floors into 1400sq m of high-quality retail space and 1600sq m of commercial offices.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Included is opening-up access to the Dickens St Car Park at what was the rear of the building, creating 800sq m of retail space from the former mail sorting rooms, while Hastings St frontages facing the new Farmers store across the road will have windows to the ground.

New tenants are being sought by agents Focus on Property Services, with the ground floor expected to be open again in April next year.

Owners spokesman Gerald Grocott said initial advice following the earthquake risk assessment indicated the cost of upgrading the building to 100 per cent of national building standards would be "cost-prohibitive".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Several options had been explored over the past year, from demolition to multiple concept schemes and detailed engineering assessment, and the owners are "excited at the prospect of breathing new life into the building".

"The Central Post Office is an integral part of Napier's history and we have always envisaged the site would play an active role in a thriving CBD," he said.

"It has been a long process but we are looking forward to the future and site works commence soon."

Paris Magdalinos Architects and the owners are working on what Mr Grocott said is now referred to as an "adaptive reuse project."

He said there is a "collective passion" for retaining local heritage, and in conjunction with Napier companies Structural Concepts and Gemco Construction the building will be strengthened and upgraded "to once again become a focal point" of the CBD.

Architect Nic Magdalinos said the project proves the value of Napier's heritage buildings can be "protected, enhanced and enjoyed by future generations".

"The ramifications of earthquake prone buildings and compliance with modern seismic performance has seen our heritage stock demolished and under threat," he said.

"Through pragmatic design and analysis, early contractor input and dedicated leadership from building owners, Napier's unique architectural heritage can be saved."

Sales and tenanting agent Robyn Burns said the new retail space will fill a gap in the Napier CBD.

The building had the sought-after ingredients to become a thriving retail site, with high exposure and great frontages.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The high ceilings and retained heritage features will have significant appeal and resonate with brands that set themselves apart in the marketplace," she said.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay

Hawkes Bay Today

'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues

Premium
Hawkes Bay Today

Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay
Hawkes Bay Today

Motorist dies after four crashes in 40 minutes in Hawke's Bay

Some roads remained blocked.

17 Jul 06:02 AM
'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues
Hawkes Bay Today

'We have you surrounded': Police stood down after Hawke's Bay stand-off, search continues

17 Jul 04:06 AM
Premium
Premium
Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa
Hawkes Bay Today

Black Ferns: Tui pair on the big bird for matches in South Africa

17 Jul 04:00 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP