Stats House on way to flat house
Statistics House was part of a major venture by Centreport to expand into commercial property, which also saw it build Customs House and BNZ Harbour Quays.
The demolition of quake-damaged Statistics House in Wellington has started, and is expected to take two or three months to complete.
In October, almost a year after the Kaiko¯ ura earthquake caused the partial collapse of two floors, insurers finally agreed the building should be demolished, but the future for the site remains unclear.
At the time, the building’s owner Centreport said an agreement had been reached that it could not be economically repaired, with chief executive Derek Nind describing damage to the structure as ‘‘substantial’’.
It was assessed as unlikely to meet requirements for occupation in the near future.
The demolition will be done in sections, starting at the southern end of the building because of the prevailing northwest wind.
Demolition of the six-storey office building started on Wednesday and paused yesterday as winds picked up.
Desks, chairs and computers inside the building became visible and pieces of paper flew out the exposed corner as it was torn away.
A Centreport spokesman said the removal of the building would create space to increase the flexibility and operations.
Statistics House was part of a major venture by Centreport to expand into commercial property, which also saw it build Customs House and BNZ Harbour Quays.
All three buildings have been empty since the earthquake, although repairs are under way on the Customs building.
No decision on either the use of the land or on the BNZ building had been made, the spokesman said.
A Statistics New Zealand spokesman reiterated what chief executive Liz Macpherson said in October; that the demolition would efficiency of port bring closure and allow the organisation to draw a line under its past connection with Statistics House.
In March, after a Government inquiry into the partial collapse was released, then-building and Construction Minister Nick Smith said the performance of Statistics House, which was completed in 2005, was ‘‘unacceptable’’ and the earthquake could have caused fatalities.
Previously home to hundreds of employees of Statistics NZ and the Ministry of Transport, the failure of Statistics House became one of the focal points of the Kaiko¯ura earthquake on November 14, 2016, which was felt strongly in Wellington.
While ‘‘critical issues’’ were identified with its design in 2013 following the Seddon earthquake, staff continued to work in the building. Strengthening work was under way at the time of the Kaiko¯ ura earthquake.
The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has now made calls to ban a building technique that caused the modern building to partially collapse.
An expert panel found ‘‘pigtail’’ floor support connections contributed to the poor performance in the 7.8 magnitude quake.