ITL Building/Te Ara Lodge (1912)

This building, located at 435 Devon Street East in Strandon, underwent a major refurbishment by the engineering company ITL (International Technology Limited) in 2011.

It was originally constructed as a private residence, with a building permit issued to a Mr Parker on 21 May 1912. The architect was Mr John Healy of Stratford and the estimated cost was £4000 - a considerable sum for the time. New Plymouth historian Fred Butler, in one of his scrapbooks (Puke Ariki collection), describes Parker as the "Fitzroy Millionaire". In the 'Stones' street directories of the early 1900s, George Parker is listed as being a dentist in Eltham. 

George Parker died in1931 and his wife continued to live in the large house. It is likely that it was during this time the house gathered its reputation for "spooks, seances, and hidden tunnels". According to photographer Roy Harland Charters (1914-1990), who bought the house in 1945, Mrs Parker lived alone for several years before her death in 1943 and neglected the garden which became quite overgrown. However, Mr Charters confirmed he had never sighted the ghost of a nun rumoured to haunt the building.

Mr Charters and his wife Shirley allowed the house, which had been known as Te Ara since at least 1947, to be used as a meeting room for various local groups, including the New Plymouth Amateur Cinematography Club (of which Charters was Chairman), as well as for dances. They sold Te Ara in 1959 and soon afterwards the building became a boarding house known as Te Ara Lodge. In 1960 the upper level was extensively renovated to include six bedrooms, according to plans drawn by builder Roy Garner.

Phillip Jefferies and his wife Judith bought the building in 1970. In 1984 they spent around $1 million on a major redevelopment of the building to house an 80-seat restaurant and 30 tourist units. The Jefferies also bought some pieces for the refurbishment from an auction held following the closure of the Criterion Hotel.

The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RSA) purchased the building in 1987 for $220,000 but did not move in until January 1991. At the time, the "Barracks Family Restaurant" also operated from the building.

In 2008, facing mounting financial problems, the RSA sold the building to brothers Steve and David Crow for $1.9 million. The relationship between the two parties rapidly deteriorated forcing the R.S.A. to close its clubrooms. At the end of 2010 the building was bought by ITL.

Related documents:

"Te Ara" gives a ball (undated Taranaki newspaper c1947)

Neighbours opposed to strip club (Taranaki Herald 17 February 1976)

Restaurant with old world style (Taranaki Herald 8 Nov 1984)

No ghost but still a presence at city restaurant (Taranaki Herald 9 January 1986)

Wall Wars - Mural vandalism (Daily News 7 April 2001)

Playful dolphins added interest to wall (Taranaki Daily News 11 May 2013)