There were concerns for heritage-loving Remuera residents when news broke that the building at 411-413 Remuera Rd was to be revamped. Constructed in 1929 on the site of the suburb’s first public library, the two-storey brick building had for decades housed a much-loved drapery – more recently, it was the home of a fashion boutique – and was regarded as a key element of the neighbourhood’s historic streetscape.

However, new owner Megan Jaffe Real Estate’s plans to retain and restore the original brickwork façade mollified local worries – “a neat exercise in urban renewal” was the verdict of the local residents association newsletter. The subsequent redevelopment of a building described as being in a “dubious state of repair” has preserved the best of the old while giving the address a new lease of life as a three-storey structure, including real estate auction rooms and offices, plus residential.