Refurbishment options discussed

INVERCARGILL

INSTALLING seismic ties will not ensure the Invercargill City Council building would be undamaged during an earthquake but it would mean staff are more likely to get out safely.

A discussion on the subject came up at yesterday’s council infrastructural services committee (ISC) meeting as part of a report presented by council property manager Paul Horner on the deferred maintenance and refurbishment of the building.

It was agreed in January last year the council would refurbish the building instead of developing a new building within the new Central Block development.

Yesterday, recommendations including confirming a staged approach to work, seismic ties needing to be installed as soon as reasonably practicable and electing two members to participate in a project control group to oversee the project were approved by councillors.

ISC chairman Ian Pottinger and Cr Allan Arnold stood unopposed as the two members elected to the group.

It was estimated the cost of the refurbishment would be $15 million.

Cr Lindsay Abbott asked why further seismic ties would be needed when the building was already rated at 100% new building standard (NBS).

In reply, ICC interim group manager of infrastructure Jane Parfitt (who formerly worked for the Christchurch City Council) said if councillors had experienced an earthquake they would not think twice about approving the installation of the ties.

‘‘It’s integral to the safety of getting everybody out.’’

Mr Horner said putting in the extra ties would also help reduce the damage to the building.

The refurbishment would also include double glazing of the building and installing a new heating system, which would save the council about $57,000 of its present electricity bill which was $118,000 annually, he said.

The work would either be carried out floor by floor, which would reduce the need to relocate staff to a different building, or by vacating the building for the entire construction time with a cost saving of about $200,000 and shortened build time from two years to one year.

The committee’s preferences would now be referred to the ICC performance, policy and partnership committee for final determination.