Whakatane: Commercial Hotel (c.1917) and accommodation (c.1939) (1)
45 The Strand, Whakatane
This impressive two-storey masonry building was erected for Bank of New Zealand in 1917. It included manager's accommodation on the first floor.
Corner sites and classical styles were traditionally chosen for NZ banks. This building was a major landmark on the corner site, visible as it was from both the main wharf and also the centre of trade at the time it was built. It was designed to make an impression of solidity and reliability, as befitted a bank.
In 1939, it became part of what was officially called the New Commercial Hotel (the OLD Commercial Hotel was the original wooden one, that sat on the site where the art deco block was built).
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council bought both buildings in 2003 when it was seeking more office space. More recently, the corner hotel had been leased while the 1939 building (regarded as an earthquake and fire risk) had remained vacant.
In 2017, it was reported that the Council planned to sell the hotel. Before the sale however, the 1939 art deco portion of the site (which was earthquake-prone and derelict) would be demolished. Then the entire site, including the historic 1917 corner hotel, would be resurveyed and sold.
Whakatane District Council said selling the Commercial Hotel "offered a great opportunity for sympathetic development" of the pub, and it did not want to see the town lose a valuable piece of history. There was however no heritage value in the 1939 art deco section...
Whakatane: Commercial Hotel (c.1917) and accommodation (c.1939) (1)
45 The Strand, Whakatane
This impressive two-storey masonry building was erected for Bank of New Zealand in 1917. It included manager's accommodation on the first floor.
Corner sites and classical styles were traditionally chosen for NZ banks. This building was a major landmark on the corner site, visible as it was from both the main wharf and also the centre of trade at the time it was built. It was designed to make an impression of solidity and reliability, as befitted a bank.
In 1939, it became part of what was officially called the New Commercial Hotel (the OLD Commercial Hotel was the original wooden one, that sat on the site where the art deco block was built).
The Bay of Plenty Regional Council bought both buildings in 2003 when it was seeking more office space. More recently, the corner hotel had been leased while the 1939 building (regarded as an earthquake and fire risk) had remained vacant.
In 2017, it was reported that the Council planned to sell the hotel. Before the sale however, the 1939 art deco portion of the site (which was earthquake-prone and derelict) would be demolished. Then the entire site, including the historic 1917 corner hotel, would be resurveyed and sold.
Whakatane District Council said selling the Commercial Hotel "offered a great opportunity for sympathetic development" of the pub, and it did not want to see the town lose a valuable piece of history. There was however no heritage value in the 1939 art deco section...