It was designed by Joseph Maddison in 1909 for use by government departments.

The building was designed to centralise various government departments in Christchurch that had previously been housed in the Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings and other rented spaces throughout the city.

The last Government department to occupy the building was the Ministry of Works and Development.

On 11 July 1991 the Christchurch City Council purchased the building from the government for $735,000.

The council then sold it to the ‘Symphony Group’ in 1995 and it was converted into a hotel with the conditions to strengthen and conserve the building.