Govt-owned ruins being readied for demolition
The Government says a tagged and ruined building it has owned in central Christchurch for three years will be demolished as soon as possible.
The building on Madras St has been in ruins since it was partially demolished by the Government in 2012. It is on one of three blocks earmarked for the city’s new stadium, and was purchased by the Crown in 2017.
Neighbouring business and property co-owner Roland Logan of NG Gallery is angry the eyesore has not been cleared sooner. He is in negotiations with the Government over ways to strengthen his shared wall with the ruined building before demolition proceeds.
He believes the Government is acting in bad faith over the ruined building to try to force him to sell his property to make way for the stadium.
‘‘They have agreed to strengthen the party wall, but I think they just want to act in bad faith and try to be difficult,’’ he said.
‘‘My engineer doesn’t agree with their engineer on how to strengthen the [shared] wall.’’
‘‘It’s awful. It is just terrible. It should never happened like this. They have made it as miserable as possible for us to try and make us sell.’’
LINZ land and property manager Matt Bradley said ‘‘our interactions with the NG building owners have been on a good faith basis’’.
‘‘We
are
currently
working with the owners of the NG building and their engineer to ensure an appropriate technical solution is found to strengthening the party wall before demolishing the building next door,’’ he said.
‘‘Emergency works were carried out before Christmas and we began preparing for further works, consistent with the advice from our engineers and in consultation with the NG building owners.
‘‘Further work was
delayed due to Covid-19 alert level restrictions. Now that New Zealand is in alert level 1, this demolition will be carried out as soon as possible,’’ Bradley said.
LINZ took over central city land purchases and demolition work for the rebuild when the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) was disestablished in 2016.
In November. LINZ installed two more shipping containers in front of the derelict building after a wooden truss inside it rotted out and collapsed.
Last year, Logan ruined building was
‘‘I am appalled by what has happened, ‘‘ Logan said. ‘‘It is an eyesore to me and the people of Christchurch who have had to put up with this for so long.’’
He said the Cera promised him in 2013 that his building would be incorporated into any new stadium designs.
Cera issued a partial demolition notice on the damaged building in 2012 due to ‘‘significant earthquake damage’’. Demolition began, but was put on hold due to concerns about the party wall, and it has been in ruins ever since. said the an ‘‘eyesore’’.
Sorted