Cuba & Manners Street

This prominent central Wellington commercial property at the corner of Cuba and Manners Street required a complete exterior refresh to restore its street presence and protect the building fabric. The multi-storey structure presented significant challenges, including working above busy pedestrian areas, coordinating with multiple ground-floor tenants, and managing traffic management requirements for scaffold and equipment placement.

Cuba Street is one of Wellington's busiest pedestrian precincts, and working above street level in that environment requires a level of planning that goes well beyond a standard residential job. Before a single brush touched the building, we engaged a traffic management company, submitted applications to Wellington City Council for scaffold permits, and held coordination meetings with each of the ground-floor tenants to agree on access arrangements and communicate any disruptions. Building managers and tenants stayed informed at every stage — a professional commercial job depends on communication as much as paintwork.

Safety was paramount throughout this project. We established comprehensive traffic management plans, obtained all necessary permits, and implemented strict safety protocols for working at height above public spaces. The building's plaster and concrete surfaces required extensive preparation, including crack filling, water-blasting to remove old paint and contaminants, and applying suitable primers before topcoating. We used Dulux AcraTex coating system, designed specifically for commercial applications with its exceptional durability and weather resistance. AcraTex is a heavy-duty elastomeric coating that bridges hairline cracks and provides a seamless, long-lasting surface — ideal for a Wellington building subject to constant wind-driven rain and temperature fluctuation.

The colour scheme was updated to a contemporary palette that enhances the building's architectural features whilst maintaining a professional, welcoming appearance for the retail businesses below. We worked with the building owner and their architect to select tones that honour the building's proportions — a darker base to the lower storeys and a lighter finish above to reduce visual bulk while giving the structure a refreshed identity on the corner.

The project was completed on schedule despite Wellington's unpredictable weather, with our team working efficiently during suitable weather windows. The building owner and tenants were delighted with the transformation, noting the significant improvement to the building's appearance and the professionalism of our team throughout. For similar retail painting projects, we bring extensive experience in managing complex commercial properties.