Auckland's Chief Post Office building reopens as transport hub after four-year closure

Tuesday, 6 April 2021

The Chief Post Office building reopened on April 6 after a four-year closure.

Auckland’s historic Chief Post Office building has reopened after four years behind construction fencing.

The 109-year-old Category 1 listed building – a downtown landmark – closed at the beginning of 2017 as part of the $4.4 billion City Rail Link (CRL) project.

Auckland Transport is restoring and repairing the Chief Post Office’s stonework.

The project will transform Britomart station into a two-way through-station to better connect the rail network.

Two tunnels have also been built 14 metres below the Chief Post Office’s shiny marble floors.

The Chief Post Office building has resumed its role as Auckland’s transport hub.

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The Chief Post Office building is 109 years old and is a Category 1 historic place.

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Before construction began, the 1912 building was lifted by just two millimetres and placed onto new foundations which go down 20m.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff cuts the ribbon, officially reopening the Chief Post Office building.

With the stone building weighing about 14,000 tonnes, it was no mean feat.

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The CRL team reckoned it was the heaviest building in the country to be moved.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff officially reopened the Chief Post Office on Tuesday morning.

A number of people from CRL and Auckland Transport, including those who had been involved in the construction, were on hand.

A blessing was carried out at dawn by Ngāti Whātua o Ōrakei, with Minister of Transport Michael Wood.

Goff said he could see the progress being made for the city and its people with the CRL, which he described as “transformative of Auckland”.

“The new stations are going to be like this station – a beautiful area to be in, a real asset to the city, a reminder of our history and a path forward to the future of this place.”

He said the closure of the Chief Post Office in 2017 was the first time it had closed since 1912.

Auckland Transport’s Mark Lambert described the construction as an “incredible, innovative engineering piece of work”.

He said the four-year wait to restore and revitalise the building was worth it.

“The CPO now resumes its main role as the entrance to Britomart station.”

The reopening of the Chief Post Office comes about three months after people-friendly square Te Komititanga opened outside it.