IT WAS love at first sight for couple Mark Bellringer and Barbara Valintine who bought the old BNZ Bank building in Eltham late last year.
"I had seen the building advertised and it kept haunting me, I had to see it.
The first time I went through it I could see all its potential. It had good bones and a great vibe," said Barbara.
She convinced Mark to take a look at the building, and the ball started rolling immediately.
He too knew the building could be made into something special.
The building is huge, and encompasses the old bank, as well as what would have been the managers living quarters.
After a bit of detective work at the local library, Barbara managed to find the original architectural drawings and specs for the building that date back to 1916.
"It was an incredible find. The specs show that all the best materials had been used in the building," she said.
They moved in last November and in just two months, have restored the front section of the building that used to serve as the bank area.
Luckily for the couple, the previous owners had done some of the important groundwork and installed gas central heating and Infinity gas water, as well as gib stopping the bank room.
The couple intend to use the newly-restored room, with its high studs and expansive space, as a second studio for their business, Digital Story, and as an exclusive boutique-like shop. But, getting it to where it is today was no easy task.
"The roof was covered in black mould and the floors were pocked with holes.
It took more than a week just to sugar soap the roof. It was a mess, but we got workers in straight away and the transformation is stunning," said Mark.
The pair enlisted local fire fighters to help with the task of ripping up the carpet. Eltham Fire Chief, Norm Commerer, who is also a carpet layer, remembered laying the carpet when he was a 14-year-old apprentice.
"The carpet was definitely looking a bit worse for wear. It was filled with dust and the musty smell was overpowering," said Mark. The couple intend to slowly renovate the entire building, the only thing they are obligated to leave as is, is the buildings fa?ade because of its historical significance.
"We want to paint the front of the building over summer and will slowly keep adding to the rest of the house," said Barbara, who is in her element acting as project manager for the restoration.
"We wanted to be able to oversee the work being done to ensure everything goes to plan.
We are brimming with ideas for the building and feel privileged to be a part of it," she said.
Deciding to bring life back to the building has meant a major lifestyle change for the pair who were previously living in central New Plymouth.
No longer in the hustle and bustle of the city, the pair are enjoying the more slowed-down feel of Eltham and Mark is happy to commute to his New Plymouth based studio.
"Having two studios means we can offer so much more to our clients. The BNZ Bank building is the perfect scene for great photographs. We are really excited about its potential," said Mark.
For now, the couple are right in the middle of wedding season, which doesn't leave much time for the house, but they are slowly and surely making progress.
Though unsure of a time-span for its completion, they are confident the wait will be worth it and want to do justice to a building that deserved owners to cherish it.
Stratford Press
