Heretaunga Street

As a result the six City Centre blocks were rebuilt predominantly between the years 1931-1936 in the architectural styles of Stripped Classicism, Art Deco, and Spanish Mission Revival and now comprise a full historic streetscape in one of the longest contiguous retail high streets in New Zealand.

Then the street continues for another 120 metres (390 ft) as a pedestrian mall, where the road is a large public footpath, tree garden and café seating area.

[citation needed] The location where the road intersects with the railway line has for generations been regarded as the centrepiece of Hastings.

Hicks had established a Store on the corner of Karamū Road and Heretaunga Street, which was the first Post Office in the early days of Hastings.

The Township of Hastings and formation of the Central Business District is shown with the railway running through the middle of the town.

[5] The most radical change came about through the Hawke's Bay Earthquake of 3 February 1931 when the majority of buildings along Heretaunga Street were destroyed or damaged.

[7] Following the earthquake the main street was rebuilt predominantly in the architectural styles of Stripped Classicism, Art Deco, and Spanish Mission Revival.

The main six blocks of the Central Business District are predominantly built during the 1920s-1930s and maintain a high level of authenticity, contributing to a vibrant mainstream with strong retail and hospitality trade.

The Clock Tower is designed by Hastings architect Sydney Chaplin and is Art Deco in style with saw-tooth ornamentation.

In 2022 the Hastings District Council commissioned a façade colour change for the tower which is now pastel blue, green, yellow and pink.

[citation needed] Heretaunga Street is known as the longest and most central of the main north–south arteries in Hastings, being the only one that goes straight from Flaxmere to Havelock North.

The road is also the only one that runs through the middle of the Central Business Districts and is home to much of Hastings' commerce and trade, where at the centre of the Street, at the CBD it is a 2.2 kilometre shopping strip, and at the very centre in the town fountain and clock tower is a pedestrian-only section where large stores meet cafés, restaurants and tall office blocks.