St Elmo Courts

The eight-story St Elmo Courts building featured Art Deco architecture with decorative friezes and cornices above a rusticated ground floor.

Constructed in 1930 on the former site of St Elmo Boarding House, the structure served as the largest apartment complex in Christchurch at that time.

The building reflected the 1920s and 1930s shift in New Zealand cities toward apartment living, offering central location accommodations with modern amenities.

The structure transitioned from residential units to office spaces by the 1950s, housing organizations like Shell Oil New Zealand and Scientific Research Department.

Following the 2011 Canterbury earthquake, the building sustained extensive damage, leading to its demolition and replacement with the modern Wynn Williams House.

Location: Christchurch City

Inception: 1930

Floors above the ground: 8

Address: 47 Hereford Street, Christchurch

GPS coordinates: -43.53190,172.63100

Latest update: March 17, 2025 08:46