tauranga cbd heritage study draft record form - Tauranga City Council

The Royal Arcade is one of the earliest commercail buildings in central Tauranga. It forms part of an intact
group of 1920s and 30s buildings on the east side of the road which contribute to the established character
of the street.
DIVERSITY
The Rotyal Arcade is one of few buildings in Tauranga's CBD which date from the early 1920s and
therefore contributes to the diversity of the built fabric.
FRAGILITY OR VUNERABILITY
ARCHAEOLOGICAL QUALITIES
Information/Reseach/Recognition or Protection
ARCHITECTURAL QUALITIES
Style or type/Design
The Royal Arcade is designed in a simple Classical style with pilasters dividing the facade into two bays. A
parapet with balusters and a central curved pediment recording the date of the building originally capped
the facade. (The parapet was removed several years ago.) The facade has a textured plaster finish a small
cornice supported on dentils, window architraves have quoin blocks, while the pilasters imitate textured
ashlar stonework. The style and detail on the facade of the Royal Arcade are very similar to the building
also built by Johansin on the corner of Spring and Willow Streets , which still remains.
Designer or builder
The Royal Arcade was built by Karl Johanson, who is also thought to have been responsible for its
design.Karl Johansen is responsible for building a number of buildings in central Tauranga including the
Royal Arcade, the Northern Star building and the building on the corner of Willow and Spring Street.
Construction
An early photograph shows that the building is constructed of concrete blockwork, plastered. The façade
incorporates blocks with a roughened outer surface in imitation of stone. These are possibly a product
called " Miracle Blocks" which were manufactured in America and publicised in the Progress magazine
around the 1910s.Block­making machines capable of producing a range of finishes including stone­like
blocks were also advertised in Progress around the same time.
HISTORIC QUALITIES
Historic Pattern
The Royal Arcade was built in 1922 by Karl Johanson who built a number of buildings in central Tauranga
including the Northern Star Building (58­64 Devonport Road) and the building at 136 Willow Street(on the
corner of Spring Street, which is very similar in design to the Royal Arcade).The Johanson family appear to
have arrived in Tauranga in 1910. The Royal Arcade was first leased by Mr. E A Entwhistle, cash grocer
from Manchester, England. On 31 August 1933 Henry Graham and Harold Johanson (son of Karl) went
into partnership and took over Entwhistle’s lease (he retired due to ill health). J H Graham & Co was the
first firm “to advertise on the air”. Charles Cameron, who had radio shop next door erected a loud speaker
above the verandah and J H Graham advertised “Oak specials” – a free money box, an old pound tin with
a slot in it – with every purchase of an Oak product. The volume was so loud it could be heard “all over
town and as far away as Pillons Point. Complaints came in thick and fast from other businesses on
Devonport Road, the mayor, chamber of commerce and the police.”
The first businesses in Tauranga were established along The Strand and Wharf Street. Devonport Road
initially contained a mix of residential and small scaled business premises, with the businesses mostly
clustered at the junction with Spring Street and The Strand. This gradually changed, with residential
dwellings disappearing from the town centre.The population of Tauranga was relatively small, reaching
3000 by around 1930 and growng to approximately 4000 by 1940. Up until the early 1930s Devonport Road
contained a mix of functions including blacksmiths, grocers stores, confectioners, tearooms, private hotels,
houses, bakers, iron mongers and even the gas works which was located on a site between Devonport
Road and Grey Street.