Mutual Life & Citizens Assurance Company Building

This article is about the former MLC offices in Wellington. For other similar-named buildings, see MLC Building.

Mutual Life & Citizens Assurance Company Building
General information
Architectural style	Art Deco
Location	231 Lambton Quay, Wellington, New Zealand
Coordinates	41.285486°S 174.775931°E / -41.285486; 174.775931
Completed	1940
Technical details
Floor count	9
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Mitchell and Mitchell
Main contractor	W.M. Angus Ltd
Heritage New Zealand – Category 1
Official name	MLC Building
Designated	2-Jul-1987
Reference no.	1406

Viewed from Lambton Quay

The Mutual Life & Citizens Assurance Company Building (also known as Richard Ellis House or the MLC building) is a building located on the corner of Lambton Quay, Hunter Street and Featherston Street in Wellington, New Zealand.

The MLC building was completed in 1940 at a cost of £101,494 by W.M. Angus Ltd.[1] for the, Australian-based insurance company, Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Company. MLC operated its head office out of this building until 1985, when the New Zealand branch of the firm was taken over by New Zealand Insurance.[2]

The clock on the building was installed in 1953 (3 months too late for celebrations for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II).[3]

The building is classified as a Category 1 Historic Place (places of "special or outstanding historical or cultural heritage significance or value") by Heritage New Zealand.[4]

Very similar category 2 listed 1950s MLC building in Auckland

References

1. "Wellington City Council". Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
2. "Heritage Trails - Art Deco Trail - Wellington's 1930s Buildings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2006. Retrieved 24 January 2009.
3. Kernohan, D. (1994). "Wellington's Old Buildings", Wellington: Victoria University Press
4. "MLC Building (Former)". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 21 December 2009.

External links

Media related to MLC Building, Wellington at Wikimedia Commons

• of MLC building ca. 1940, note lack of clock in original tower