Palmerston North’s Cosmopolitan Club was formed in 1888 as ‘The Palmerston North Working Men’s Club and Mutual School of Arts.’ Its original membership was primarily ‘working class’ men, but over time this grew to include business and professional men. L.G. West (by then deceased) had been an original member of the club, and his son Ernst West was commissioned to design the £13,698 building, which opened in 1928. The Cuba Street frontage also contained four shops. The building is Edwardian Neo-Georgian in style, with the characteristic symmetrical façade. Some of the shop fronts appear original.
The club moved from the building in 1989 and sold it in 1990. It has had a variety of occupants since then.
