Arcade 233–237 Queen St. Commissioned by local businessman Arthur Myers, built in 1900 with the latest in lifts, ventilation and lighting (the basement restaurant could seat 700). Renovated in 1970 this Edwardian shopping arcade has remained largely unaltered. Auckland Savings Bank Building, 1884. Edward Bartley architect. 260 Queen St. This is an example of the mid Victorian italianate style. The facade displays columns and panels of coloured marble and granite. In 1977 this building became a McDonald's restaurant, although the facade and interior remain largely intact due to a sensitive renovation. Beyond the Wellesley Street intersection lies the midtown district, with its entertainment and civic focus, centred on Aotea Square. Here are located most of the important civic buildings, including the: Auckland Civic Theatre, 1929. Bohringer, Taylor & Johnson architects. 269 Queen St. This is one of the best remaining examples of an atmospheric theatre. The monumental Art Deco stripped-classical facade hides a lavish Hollywood inspired interior. The lobby is a reproduction of an Indian rock temple decorated with 500 elephants. The auditorium is decorated as an open courtyard in ancient Baghdad, the ceiling imitating the night sky with hundreds of electric stars placed as they appear in the southern sky. Extensively renovated in 1994 it is now part of a larger entertainment and retail complex. The renovation fixed several problems including the undersized stage and inadequate backstage facilities. St. James Theatre – 316 Queen Street. 1927 theatre building in the 1920s Hollywood/Spanish style designed for vaudeville but wired for talking pictures in 1929. The stage capacity, acoustics and seating sightlines meant this theatre was superior to the other venues of the period (His Majesty's, King's Theatre, and the Auckland Opera House); even after the appearance of the Civic it still stood out as the best venue for traditional live theatre. The landmark turret above the Queen street entrance is possibly still concealed behind modernist cladding. Bledisloe House, 1959. A modernist glass facade office block designed for Central Government services as part of the proposed Civic Centre. Designed by Gordon Wilson with Jack Beere and named after Lord Bledisloe (Governor-General of New Zealand from 1930 to 1935). This was the only one of a complex of six identical buildings planned for the environs of what is now Aotea Square. The other five buildings were to be the new Town Hall, a City Administration block, a new Public Library, public Art