Old Post Office Restoration, 1999 (Event)

SummaryBy the late 1980s Tauranga’s Old Post Office, built in 1905, stood vacant and structurally unsound. Successive government departments had moved out, and by 1987 the building faced possible demolition. Reports confirmed it failed modern earthquake standards and required major remedial work.

In 1998, Grasshopper Properties purchased the site from Tauranga District Council and undertook a $1.5 million restoration. The project was carried out under Historic Places Trust guidelines, which required the 1905 exterior to be replicated exactly. Conservation included paint analysis to restore the original colour scheme, retention of key heritage features such as the staircase and balustrade, and innovative methods to secure the ornate masonry.

Inside, the structure was stripped back to brick and timber and strengthened with new foundations, steel and plaster systems, and modern services. Earthquake resilience, air conditioning, and new lighting were integrated while retaining the building’s architectural character. The restoration also reinstated the clock and gardens, with a History Room established for public access.

Completed in 1999, the project transformed a deteriorating landmark into a functional office building while safeguarding one of Tauranga’s most important Edwardian Baroque structures.Date of Event1999SourcesBOP Times Special Edition: "The Old Post Office, Building a future from the past" » Wednesday, October 27, 1999

Archive Items

Brochure inviting expressions of interest for the Old Post Office, 1988

Report on the community initiative to save the old Post Office building, Willow Street, Tauranga

Aerial of the Post Office bell being reinstalled behind the clock face.
Photo NZME-CD014-199909-E2716

Usage

Kaitiakitanga StatementWe ask that, in addition to normal copyright and privacy considerations, users of our heritage resources uphold the mana and dignity of the people, communities and places depicted within.CopyrightTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City LibrariesLicenseCC BY 4.0AcknowledgementTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries, Old Post Office Restoration, 1999 (Event)

Location

Map Address51, Willow Street, Tauranga, Tauranga, 3110, New ZealandLatitude/Longitude^[1]

Relates To

Start here:Government Buildings, Tauranga, 1906- (Place)

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AuthorTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City LibrariesType of ContributionLibrary authorityTaxonomyStories | Events

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Old Post Office Restoration, 1999 (Event)