$200m plan: read on
The most expensive strengthening option has been proposed for the Central Library
A $200 million upgrade has been proposed for Wellington’s earthquake-prone Central Library, with a view to reopening the building in 2025.
Wellington City Council revealed three strengthening options for the Civic Square building yesterday, with council officers recommending a ‘‘high-level remediation’’ project costing up to $199.8m.
The upgrade would involve installing base isolators to put the building at above 100 per cent of the New Building Standard (NBS), meaning it would be safe to occupy during and after a major earthquake.
It would also include a major reconfiguration of collections, facilities, and activity spaces, and better integration with Te Nga¯kau Civic Square precinct.
The recommendation comes despite councillors voting in May for staff to prioritise cheaper strengthening options – overturning a proposal for base isolators to be a necessary part of the upgrade.
Two other strengthening options – costing up to $91m and $152m respectively – would make the building safe but vulnerable to significant damage in the event of a major earthquake.
Wellington Mayor Andy Foster said there were pros and cons to each option, including timeframe, cost, resilience, and building lifespan.
‘‘There is no option which is the perfect option, and we’re going to have to weigh those things up.
‘‘Whatever we put back will be a modern, 21st-century library, which I think will be an incredibly exciting facility for our community.’’
The proposals also revealed the council was looking at options to privatise the library, with staff to call for expressions of interest from prospective developers.
It said a developer could buy the building, upgrade it, and lease the land back to the council.
But Foster said he would be
challenging that advice. ‘‘I’m interested more in the private sector’s skill and knowledge . . . in terms of their thoughts about how we do this job, not in their ownership of the building.’’
The library has been closed since March last year.
Under the council’s preferred upgrade option, construction would start in April 2022 and be completed by May 2025.
A ‘‘mid-level’’ strengthening would be completed by September 2024, while a ‘‘low-level’’ strengthening project would be done by November 2023.
Two options for demolishing the existing library and building a new one were also put forward.
However, no concept designs were developed, with council officers preferring to strengthen the existing building.
A new building was projected to cost up to $160m – based on square-metre building rates – with construction to begin in July 2023 and finish by November 2025.
City councillor Fleur Fitzsimons, who hold the council’s libraries portfolio, said she was surprised by the proposals given councillors had previously rejected the most expensive strengthening option.
The proposals will go out for public feedback on July 27.