The Star: March 16, 2023

The Star Thursday March 16 2023
14
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Design a nod to building’s early days
• By Tony Simons
DEVELOPERS have revealed
what will replace the landmark
pink Ali Barber’s building in
Sumner.
Brooksfield Townhouses is
developing the site and the
images (right) reveal the new
Marriner St building will be
typical of the company’s design
style, reflecting heritage and
character.
The existing building was
originally Geo Vincent’s Hotel,
which dated back to the late
1800s and was a place where
travellers from Christchurch
used to stay.
Vincents went on to became a
boarding house, Sunleigh Flats,
then a children’s home for a
short time, before being turned
into flats again.
Brooksfield director Vincent
Holloway said the company’s
design style generally revolves
around classical heritage.
Brooksfield employed English
architect Ben Pentreath to
design the building. Pentreath
had designed the King Charles
III supported Poundbury, a
heritage precinct in Dorchester,
England.
The Sumner apartments are all
under contract, Holloway said.
They were snapped up as soon
as the architect’s drawings were
released, about four weeks ago.
HERITAGE: Visitors from Christchurch milling around Geo
Vincent’s Hotel in 1909. PHOTO: NATIONAL LIBRARY
REFLECTING THE PAST: Architectural images
of what the new Marriner St building will look
like. Below – the existing Ali Barbers building.
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