Wed 05.06.13. 1 000+ days post 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, I trekked Victoria St to Victoria Sq to see the transformation from a Victorian planned street to a quake destroyed & partly transformed street & square. Victoria St between Bealey Ave crossing & Salisbury St crossing was buzzing: Lots of open shops, some ghosts, several construction sites, repair sites & demolition sites. Some demolition sites were converted to carparks, some were for sale or lease. The closer I got to open Christchurch Casino, the more Victoria St ghosts.
There were more construction sites (4) along Victoria St from Bealey Ave crossing to Peterborough St crossing than the whole of CERA occupied, red zone, cordoned CBD (3). So much for CERA's ramping up rebuild.
The reason why Victoria St was booming was because it was the main street amidst flats & houses. Red zone, cordoned CBD flats & houses were either flattened by quakes or demolished by CERA, like Poplar St flats, with no sign from CERA they would be rebuilt. All that CERA did regarding CBD housing rebuild was a CCDU planned international competition for high density housing off Madras St by Latimer Sq.
So far, CERA & CCDU hadn't got it that housing amongst businesses was needed for the CBD to thrive. Not just hotels for tourists, in the red zone, cordoned CBD, where there were too many expensive anchor projects, like Convention Centre / Te Pae, Performing Arts Precinct, new Central Library / Turanga, Maori Cultural Centre, Justice & Emergency Services Precinct.
Mon 10.06.13. The Press reported CERA would develop housing on its acquired Frame land. Why hadn't architects thought of that a year before when 100 day planning the CCDU Blueprint?
One News 10.06.13: CERA minister Brownlee announced that 20 govt agencies would move back to the CBD in 2015 with 2 500 staff. Fat hope: June 2015, there would be no such 20 govt agencies in the CBD, as few Blueprint Anchor Projects had been built, like Justice & Emergency Services Precinct. Only in 2017 would Grand Central offices open for public servants on the old Hotel Grand Chancellor site, Cashel St.
Townsend, Christchurch Employers' Chamber of Commerce boss echoed: "The property developers and property owners and the people that want to come back into central city know now that the government has made this commitment and they will follow up accordingly."
Victoria St / Bealey Ave / Papanui Rd crossing: Fortress like, Burger King was built on Carlton Hotel demolition site: thick concrete walls, massive steel skeleton. By Carlton Courts ghosts, on the opp side of Papanui Rd, One News crew had camped for a while, post 22.02.11 Killer Quake.
03.06.13. Burger King rebuild, Carlton Hotel demolition site, Bealey Ave / Papanui Rd
03.06.13. Abandoned Carlton Courts, Bealey Ave / Papanui Rd
Victoria St / Bealey Ave: Knox Church ghost had stood part demolished, steel mesh fence cordoned for over a year before church authorities strengthened it with boarding below wooden arches & night lights. (By the end of 2014 Knox Church would be restored with copper clad exterior walls). Knox Plaza, construction site was busy next door. Across the road a makeshift pub, Smash Palace traded on Saggio di vino demolition site.
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake trashed, boarded Knox Church, awaited restoration, Bealey Ave / Victoria St
03.06.13. Knox Plaza construction site, next to Knox Church, Victoria St
Victoria St to Montreal St crossing: Quake survivor businesses, ghosts, demolition sites, included tilt slab Carlton Butchery rebuild on a quake demolition site & quake survivor, part demolished, Caxton Press, next to another construction site. 2014. Caxton Press would relocate to new premises at Wigram.
03.06.13. Carlton Butchery, Victoria St rebuild
03.06.13. Abandoned Art Deco bldg, Victoria St. It would survive the quakes
03.06.13. Spags open for business, Victoria St
03.06.13. Bldg repair, Victoria St
03.06.13. Open business, Victoria St
03.06.13. Quake trashed, boarded bldg, Victoria St
03.06.13. Victoria St / Salisbury St / Montreal St crossing view, quake closed CBD. Victoria St construction site right
03.06.13. Rebuild construction site next to Caxton Press, Victoria St
03.06.13. Quake demolition site sold, Victoria St / Salisbury St
03.06.13. Gordon Smith & sons Fruiterers trading for more than a year post 22.02.11 quake, Victoria St / Montreal St
Victoria St / Montreal St / Salisbury St crossing: Gordon Smith & Sons Fruiterers was open for many months near ghosts & demolition sites converted to carparks. The Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower was being restored & when Prince Charles & Camilla visited last year they'd had a photo-shoot there with mayor Parker.
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower being restored, Victoria St / Montreal St. Abandoned Victoria Mansions behind
03.06.13. For Lease demolition site, Victoria St / Salisbury St / Montreal St crossing
03.06.13. Open businesses, Victoria St
Clock Tower, steel mesh fence cordon, Council sign:
Facilities Rebuild
Doing what needs to be done.
This Christchurch City Council facility is closed due to the earthquakes and is currently being repaired.
The council is striving to access and carry out work on its 1 600 buildings as quickly as possible as part of its Facilities Rebuild Plan programme...
Victoria St to Peterborough St crossing: Ghosts, like Victoria Mansions, busy shops & demolition sites. A construction site was busy, a workman in a crane box was lowered to a first floor window.
03.06.13. Rebuild construction site, Victoria St
Victoria St to Kilmore St crossing: Quake damaged, Christchurch Casino, open after 11:00. Demolition sites, ghosts, quake survivor businesses.
03.06.13. Christchurch Casino open for more than a year post 22.02.11 quake, Victoria St
03.06.13. Closed business, Victoria St / Peterborough St
03.06.13. Closed businesses, Victoria St
Victoria St / Kilmore St crossing: Demolition sites, incl Riverlands House, gone, fenced with a Victoria St ad on it; Copthorne Hotel, gone; Crowne Plaza Hotel, gone, makeshift Pallet Pavilion had traded on site for months. Riverlands House would be rebuilt.
03.06.13. Ad board, Riverlands House, demolition site, Victoria St / Kilmore St
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Kilmore St, demolition sites, off Victoria St
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Copthorne Hotel demolition site, Victoria St / Kilmore St / Durham St Nth crossing. Court House left awaited new build, Justice & Emergency Services precinct between Lichfield St & Tuam St. Spicers right awaited demolition for a new lawyers' office
03.06.13. The Arcades, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth. Abandoned Town Hall left awaited restoration. Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel right awaited restoration
03.06.13. The Arcades & Pallet Pavilion, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth. Abandoned Town Hall left awaited restoration. Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel middle awaited restoration. Victoria Square apartments right awaited demolition for NZ National govt's / CERA's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. The Arcades, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth. Part opened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel left. Abandoned Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel middle awaited restoration
Near Town Hall ghost, were recently constructed, relocatable Arcades, wooden arches going to Victoria Sq, the first sign of post Victorian brilliance seen in over 1 000 quake days, amongst post quake demolitions. Crowne Plaza Hotel was gone, opening up the Victorian vista to Victoria Sq again. Beyond Victoria Sq, Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel awaited restoration.
03.06.13. The Arcades, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth & abandoned Town Hall awaiting restoration
03.06.13. The Arcades & Pallet Pavilion, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth. Abandoned Town Hall left, Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel & Victoria Square middle. Open Court House right
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. The Arcades, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth
03.06.13. The Arcades view, abandoned Town Hall left awaited repairs, Copthorne Hotel middle awaited demolition, Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel right awaited repairs, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth
The Arcades area was still messy with foundation holes & a steel mesh fence cordon, while the arches were being constructed. A digger was parked between The Arcades & Pallet Pavilion. The Arcades board:
The Arcades Project
A new way to add movable infrastructure to empty sites for community events.
Ten modular units 6.3 metres high, each forming an open vault, the arcades will become a grand setting for events.
Reconfigurable & relocatable, these structures have the potential to enliven vacant sites around Christchurch for the next 25 years...
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. The Arcades, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth
NZ National govt, CERA & Ngai Tahu tribe wanted to turn Crowne Plaza demolition site into a Maori Cultural Centre to welcome tourists. But quakes had destroyed many Anglican churches, including Christ Church Cathedral, beyond Victoria Sq, aided by post quakes Civil Defence & CERA demolishers. The Maori Cultural Centre idea fizzled.
03.06.13. Refreshments, Pallet Pavilion, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth
03.06.13. Kilmore St view, digger, Salvation Army demolition site, open Court House behind, Durham St Nth
03.06.13. Kilmore St view, digger, Salvation Army demolition site, abandoned Spicers behind awaited demolition, Durham St Nth
Kilmore St: The old Convention Centre demolition site awaited hotel, office & shop rebuilds a decade hence. Across the road, steel mesh fence cordoned, Town Hall ghost awaited repairs.
Victoria Sq : Behind Town Hall ghost, 2 workmen in hard hats & orange, Hi-Vis vests arranged cordon fencing by the floral clock.
03.06.13. Kids' art on steel mesh fence cordon entrance to Victoria Sq, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth
03.06.13. Orange digger, steel mesh fence cordoned, abandoned, Town Hall awaited repairs, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth
03.06.13. Orange, Hi-Vis vested workmen arranging a steel mesh fence cordoned entrance to Victoria Sq, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth
03.06.13. Orange, Hi-Vis vested workmen arranging a steel mesh fence cordon, floral clock, Victoria Sq
03.06.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Victoria Sq, orange, Hi-Vis vested workmen's view, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site. Pallet Pavilion left, The Arcades middle, Christchurch Casino right
Victoria Sq: Steel mesh fence cordoned, Court House, the only live bldg amongst ghosts: Town Hall awaited repairs; steel mesh fence cordoned, Copthorne Hotel awaited demolition; Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel awaited repairs; The National Bank / Isaac House awaited repairs; Victoria Square flats & Craigs House awaited demolition for NZ National govt's / CERA's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae; demolition sites like Winnie Bagoes & PWC extended along red zone, Armagh St to a digger-busy demolition site by the Retour Restaurant demolition site. Craigs House was gutted before demolition. Several of its blue window panes gone, showing empty offices, bare walls & ceilings.
03.06.13. Victoria Bridge view, Avon River & Armagh St Bridge, Victoria Sq, Victoria Bridge would be repaired, 2016
03.06.13. Victoria Sq view, red zone, abandoned bldgs: Copthorne Hotel left awaited demolition for the new RC Cathedral precinct. Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel middle awaited repairs. The National Bank / Isaac House right awaited new neighbour, Convention Centre / Te Pae
03.06.13. Capt James Cook statue view, Victoria Sq. Abandoned Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel awaited repairs. The National Bank / Isaac House right awaited new neighbour, Convention Centre / Te Pae
03.06.13. Avon River. Dandelion Fountain, abandoned Town Hall awaited repairs, Victoria Sq
03.06.13. Capt James Cook statue view, abandoned Victoria Square flats & Craigs House awaited demolition for NZ National govt's / CERA's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae
Middle of Victoria Sq: Capt James Cook's white, marble statue still stood, undamaged after 13 000 quakes. Some CBD statues fell from their plinths in the 22.02.11 Killer Quake, like Antarctic explorer, Robert Falcon Scott's statue, Oxford Tce & 1850 founder of Christchurch, John Robert Godley's bronze statue, Cathedral Sq.
03.05.13. 13 000 quakes survivor, Capt James Cook statue, Victoria Sq
03.06.13. Abandoned Copthorne Hotel awaited demolition, Victoria Sq, for the new RC Cathedral precinct
03.06.13. Victoria Sq view, Colombo St / Armagh St demolition sites, incl Winnie Bagoes, abandoned bldgs. The new RC Cathedral precinct would be built on site a decade hence
03.06.13. Four orange diggers, PWC demo site. Victoria Sq view, demolition sites between Cambridge Tce left & Armagh. Dec 2019. A new RC bishop would propose a new RC cathedral, school & carpark on the demo sites, to replace the ruined RC cathedral, Barbadoes St
03.06.13. Victoria Sq view, abandoned Victoria Square flats middle, Craigs House right awaited demolition for NZ National govt's / CERA's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae
Colombo St / Armagh St: Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel blocked the way from Victoria Sq to Christ Church Cathedral ghost near Colombo St / Gloucester St crossing. So far, Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel was abandoned for over 2 years post 22.02.11 Killer Quake, after trapped survivors had abseiled out of windows, due to quake collapsed stairs. Forsyth Barr highrise would be refurbished as Crowne Plaza Hotel.
03.06.13. Victoria Sq, Queen Victoria, Boer War statue view, abandoned Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel left awaited repairs. The National Bank / Isaac House right awaited new neighbour, Convention Centre / Te Pae
03.06.13. 13 000 quakes survivor, Queen Victoria, Boer War statue, Victoria Sq
03.06.13. Victoria Sq view, red zone, abandoned Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel left awaited repairs. The National Bank / Isaac House right awaited new neighbour, Convention Centre / Te Pae
Victoria Sq: Bordered by cordon clutter, Queen Victoria bronze statue glared at red zoned, steel mesh fence cordoned, Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel ghost & The National Bank / Isaac House ghost, which blocked Queen Victoria's view of Christ Church Cathedral ghost. On Queen Victoria's plinth, a bronze memorial plaque remembered 79 bloodthirsty, Canterbury's Sons who'd died in the Boer War, South Africa.
03.06.13. Victoria Sq, Queen Victoria, Boer War statue plaque remembering 79 Canterbury's Sons who'd died in the Boer War, South Africa
*Trekked Papanui Rd, Victoria St, Kilmore St, Victoria Sq. 94 images.
Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.
See Hotel plan for Forsyth Barr building (The Press / Stuff Co).
Responded to an email asking permission for use of The Arcades pics in an Australian publication.
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