CCDU's Core CBD focus. Sunday 15.12.13. 4.28pm, M3.5 quake, 9km depth, 5km SE of Christchurch (GeoNet). Shook our lounge sofa while I relaxed after my Christchurch CBD trek. More than 3 years post 4 September quake we still experienced aftershocks.
Hot summer afternoon. CERA & Council, slack about public safety: Although many steel-mesh-fence-cordons were around CBD ghosts, some cordon-fences were downed by wind, vandals, thieves, I didn't know? But CBD was a demolition mess, dust everywhere. I became complacent too, thinking I was safe, as bldgs survived 1 000s of quakes over the last 3 years, not collapsing.
I wanted to see sections of Lichfield St & Hereford St which recently opened, which I hadn't trekked since 22 February quake. I'd driven Lichfield St section a few times, past part-demolished, old bus exchange.
Manchester St: I parked by St Lukes Anglican church, demolition-site to do a circular trek in CCDU's core CBD. Many bldgs were demolished by CERA in its core CBD. Ghosts left. Commerce spluttered in Restart Cashel Mall. Tourists & locals wandered Cathedral Sq & New Regent St. Despite CCDU's Blueprint 17 months ago, little development so far in its core CBD.
A few new bldgs rose from demo sites:
-Forte Health: steel, glass, private hospital run by doctors with shares in the bldg, Kilmore St.
-Awly Building (opened 2016): Multi-storey offices along Durham St Nth, between Armagh St & Gloucester St, opp moth-balled Provincial Council bldg. I counted 5 construction cranes & 2 pile drivers there. (See below).
-Multi-storey Deloitte offices, Gloucester St / Cambridge Tce: Would have wavy glass, exterior walls.
-The Terrace: foundations laid for 4 bldgs, 2 lanes & a court along The Strip demolition sites, Oxford Tce. The Terrace development would splutter for years. Sept 2016, still unfinished. Developer Gough would run out of money, bum funds from Council, only opening The Terrace in 2018. Thus ratepayers funded Gough's private development.
-Stranges bldg: steel, glass triangular edifice, Manchester St / Lichfield St / High St.
To date, there were no other new-builds in CBD streets I trekked, indictment of CERA & CCDU. Over the last 17 months there was big-talk by CERA / CCDU about all the Blueprint wonders to be built in the CBD, like a 35 000 seater, roofed Stadium; Convention Centre / Te Pae; Bus Interchange; Metro Sports Facility; Performing Arts Precinct; houses & parkland, N & E Frames; Margaret Mahy Family Playground, N Frame on Centennial Pool demolition site; Justice & Emergency Services Precinct; Innovation Precinct; Health Precinct... Excepting EPIC Innovation Precinct, no foundations were laid for any other Blueprint project / precinct yet. Never mind land not yet taken by CCDU for Blueprint schemes by NZ National govt. All those CBD areas were either demolition-sites covered in weeds, or shingle, or ghosts since 22 February quake.
CERA's / CCDU's slowness encouraged kitsch, which I'd already blogged, like Manchester St / Cambridge Tce, by Manchester St Bridge: tree wrapped in orange tape, attracted passersby to the demolition-site for over a year.
Kilmore St / Manchester St: 3 cnrs, demolition sites. St Lukes Anglican Church demolition-site, vacant for over a year, brick maze in one cnr, based on Chartres Cathedral maze, French religious kitsch. Red poppies bloomed by the maze. 2019. Church demo-site, still vacant, weedy. No rebuild. Next door: 2 storey, boarded, rectory ghost. 2021. Majendie's 185 Empty Chairs Memorial, on St Lukes demo-site.
15.12.13. Poppies, post quake, brick maze, St Lukes demolition site, Kilmore St / Manchester St
15.12.13. St Lukes history info board, wooden belfry, St Lukes demo site, Manchester St
Diag opp cnr, grass grown by CERA last year on demolition-sites, weedy, all the way to PGC demolition-site, where 18 people died in 22 February quake. SE, I saw demolition-sites & empty streets to repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel & Christ Church Cathedral ghost, obscured by repaired / reopened Novotel & Camelot Hotel ghost, awaiting demolition for Central Library / Turanga rebuild.
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Kilmore St / Manchester St S view: abandoned bldgs, post quake, repaired / reopened hotels in CCDU's core CBD: Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel left, Novotel right
15.12.13. Cambridge Tce, PGC demolition site S view, copper dome on Avon River bank, post demolition of Retour Restaurant. Abandoned bldgs, repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel beyond, CCDU's core CBD. 2020-21. Edmonds Band Rotunda would be repaired, copper dome on top
15.12.13. Cambridge Tce, PGC demolition site S view, back of restored Isaac Theatre Royal left, repaired / reopened Novotel behind, abandoned Christ Church Cathedral middle, abandoned Camelot Hotel right awaited demolition for Central Library / Turanga rebuild, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Orange digger. Kilmore St SW view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs: Ernst & Young left awaited demolition, Victoria Square apartments right awaited demolition for the Convention Centre / Te Pae, CCDU's core CBD
W along Kilmore St: I trekked past Ernst & Young ghost, awaiting demolition. SW distance across demolition-sites, I saw Forsyth Barr ghost awaiting resurrection as Crowne Plaza Hotel & Victoria Square apartments ghost, awaiting demolition for CERA's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae. I trekked past new-build Forte Health to Town Hall ghost awaiting repairs. Beyond Town Hall: abandoned Fino Cafe & apartments, quake survivors.
15.12.13. Kilmore St SW view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs: Ernst & Young left awaited demolition. Forsyth Barr middle awaited conversion to Crowne Plaza Hotel. Victoria Square apartments right awaited demolition for CCDU's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Kilmore St W view, Town Hall awaited repairs left, Forte Health new build right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Forte Health new build, Kilmore St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Kilmore St / Colombo St crossing, W view, Town Hall left awaited repairs, abandoned Fino apartments middle right would survive the quakes. Venuti restaurant new build right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Venuti restaurant new build, Colombo St, CCDU's core CBD
Kilmore St / Cambridge Tce / Colombo St: Colombo St Bridge, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned, closed for repairs. Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel loomed. Top banner:
MERRY XMAS
FOR SALE
AS IS WHERE IS
Although Forsyth Barr, one of CBD's tallest bldgs, survived quakes & CERA demolitions, owners wanted to sell. It would survive across Colombo St, opp CERA's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae.
15.12.13. ROAD CLOSED. Orange-plastic-road-cones. Orange-plastic-road-barrier. Steel mesh fence cordon. Closed for repairs, Colombo St Bridge S view, CCDU's core CBD: Repaired / reopened Novotel left. For Sale, Forsyth Barr middle awaited conversion to Crowne Plaza Hotel. Abandoned Christ Church Cathedral right
July 2015. Crowne Plaza Hotel banner would hang atop Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel. Overseas owners hoped CCDU's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae would give them hotel trade. But Te Pae would only be built, 2018-21.
Colombo St: New-build Venuti restaurant, open for business, demolition-site neighbours.
Town Hall farce: Green ads on cordon-fence, touted Town Hall & nearby Performing Arts Precinct, CCDU's Blueprint. Over the last year there was debate by old Council & new Council whether to restore Town Hall or not, as opposed to a new Performing Arts Precinct nearby, bordered by Colombo St, Armagh St, Gloucester St. May 2015. New Council would confirm old Council's wish to restore Town Hall, costing $137.5m.
Green ad:
CHRISTCHURCH TOWN HALL
AND WIDER PERFORMING ARTS PRECINCT
15.12.13. Christchurch Town Hall awaited repairs, Kilmore St, CCDU's core CBD
Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel ghost loomed over CCDU's Blueprint Performing Arts Precinct in Forsyth Barr's fall-zone. During 22 February quake, concrete stairs collapsed in Forsyth Barr, office workers saved, lowering themselves from windows using rope. You wouldn't catch me entering, or attending any nearby theatre, new or not, like restored Isaac Theatre Royal or new-build Court Theatre.
Across Kilmore St, beyond old Convention Centre demolition site, I saw Peterborough Street Library, where Leah & I endured 5 potent quakes, 23 December, Xmas Quake Swarm, before fleeing the library. CCDU wished to build Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae on Central Library ghost site, other demolition-sites & across Gloucester St to Cathedral Sq. Like old & new bldgs around Cathedral Sq, Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae would dwarf Christ Church Cathedral ghost.
Old Convention Centre demolition-site, opp Town Hall, looked fine for a new Convention Centre, not as big & pretentious as CCDU's Blueprinted one. Any big hotel (several reopened in the CBD) had convention / conference rooms, which could compete with CCDU's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae. 2018-19, while Te Pae was being built, Leah would attend teacher conferences at Rydges Hotel, Latimer Sq where she'd flop out of bed, straight into conference rooms.
2021. Plans would be made for a hotel, offices, shops, apartments to be built on old Convention Centre demo-site between Kilmore St & Peterborough St.
15.12.13. Kilmore St N view, old Convention Centre demolition site, post quakes, Central Library, Peterborough St, CCDU's core CBD
Old Convention Centre demolition-site, lamp-pole board:
CITY CARE
CHRISTCHURCH
TOWN HALL
EVACUATION
MUSTER
POINT
15.12.13. Evacuation sign, old Convention Centre demolition site, Kilmore St, CCDU's core CBD
Waste of money, no one used Town Hall since quakes.
15.12.13. Abandoned Fino Cafe, Kilmore St, CCDU's core CBD. Fino Cafe & apartments would survive the quakes
Kilmore St / Durham St Nth: Next to Town Hall ghost, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition-site, a mess, stuffed with Gap Filler temporary junk: Pallet Pavilion; The Arcades, series of wooden arches; Gap Filler huts; garishly painted, business container; red, double-decker, tourist bus. Devoid of tourists, red-bus would pass me twice during my trek. Kitsch as CERA's red-bus, rubbernecker trips in red-zone CBD during CERA's CBD occupation. Junk on that CBD demo site showed money was wasted on frivolity, instead of CERA / CCDU quickly rebuilding the CBD.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon, shipping containers. Gap Filler temporary projects on Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth. Beyond, Court House left. Abandoned Spicers right, CCDU's core CBD. Spicers would be demolished, 2014, replaced by lawyers offices, Tavendale and Partners
15.12.13. The Arcades temporary project, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth, CCDU's core CBD. Abandoned Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel beyond, a bit of Pallet Pavilion right
15.12.13. Red tourist bus, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth, CCDU's core CBD. Town Hall behind awaited repairs
15.12.13. Pallet Pavilion temporary project, Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, Kilmore St / Durham St Nth, CCDU's core CBD. Court House beyond
15.12.13. Kilmore St / Durham St Nth: Salvation Army demolition site view, abandoned / For Sale, Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel left. Abandoned Victoria Square apartments middle, awaited demolition for CCDU's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae. Court House right, Durham St Nth, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Kilmore St / Durham St Nth: Steel mesh fence cordon. Salvation Army demolition site view, The Arcades, Crown Plaza Hotel demolition site. Beyond, abandoned Town Hall awaited repairs, CCDU's core CBD
Christchurch red-zones degenerated into a hotchpotch of tawdry, survivor bldgs, demolition-sites, ghosts: taggers' paradise.
Unlike CCDU's core CBD, Victoria S opp Pallet Pavilion bustled with reopened businesses & 2 multi-storey, new-builds, steel & glass boxes, like Industrial Park bldgs at Sir William Pickering Dr near Christchurch Airport.
15.12.13. Crowne Plaza Hotel demolition site, N view, Victoria St new builds
Durham St Nth: I trekked past Salvation Army demolition-site, and Court House which in 2022 would be occupied by Huadu International Management Group. Further along, Methodist Church demolition-site showed no respect for 3 people killed there in 22 February quake. It was a Council carpark with Espresso trailer catering for Court House denizens across the road. 2019. New Durham St Methodist Church would be built on the church demo-site, with a truncated tower similar to the shortened tower of new All Soul's Anglican Church built on St Mary's Anglican Church demo-site, Church Ln / Papanui Rd.
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Carpark, Espresso trailer, Methodist Church demolition site, where 3 people died in the 22.02.11 quake, Durham St Nth, CCDU's core CBD. The church would be rebuilt on site
Armagh St to Gloucester St crossings: Landsborough House / URS House & Amuri Courts demolition-sites, steel-mesh-fence- cordoned, 5 cranes & 2 pile drivers, Sunday sentinels for new multi-storey, steel & glass, office block, Awly Building. Across the road, Provincial Council ghost awaited restoration, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned. Sept 2019. Durham St Nth / Armagh St: Quake City display, after a stay in Cashel Mall, found a new home in a new multi-storey rebuild.
15.12.13. Office complex, new build, Durham St Nth, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Deloitte offices, new build, Gloucester St / Cambridge Tce, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Provincial Council, closed for restoration, Durham St Nth, CCDU's core CBD. Abandoned Rydges Hotel beyond
Armagh St Bridge: ROAD CLOSED, due to a steel-mesh-fence-cordon across Armagh St by Victoria Square apartments ghost & CCDU's delays in purchase of land, demolitions & new-build of its Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae. CERA & CCDU were good at big-talk, demolitions, delays, taking & demolishing 1 000s of red-zone homes & CBD Frame properties for the Crown. But 3 years post-quakes, due to CERA / CCDU delays, there was little business happening in its core CBD, little rebuild & next to no new-builds.
15.12.13. ROAD CLOSED. Steel mesh fence cordon. Armagh St Bridge closed, due to abandoned high rises beyond: Victoria Square apartments, awaited demolition. Forsyth Barr For Sale / awaited repairs, CCDU's core CBD
Cambridge Tce / Gloucester St: Beginnings of Deloitte offices construction, another multi-storey. Nearby bldg, yellow mural, enigmatic black lettering:
E
STE
PEOPLE
15.12.13. Cambridge Tce view, mural on tilt slab wall, Deloitte offices new build. CCDU's core CBD
Gloucester St Bridge: Closed for repairs. That blocked customers for recently restored New Regent St. CCDU's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae, would occupy Central Library dem0-site & some of Gloucester St, constipating Gloucester St traffic.
Gloucester St: Abandoned wall: blue mural below Government Life ghost, awaiting demolition, Cathedral Sq.
15.12.1.3 Steel mesh fence cordon. Cambridge Tce view, closed for repairs Gloucester St Bridge, SE view, Cathedral Sq bldgs: Repaired / reopened Novotel left; abandoned Government Life middle, awaited demolition, with blue mural below; abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Cambridge Tce view, closed for repairs Gloucester St Bridge, NE view, abandoned bldgs in CCDU's core CBD: Victoria Square apartments left, awaited demolition; Forsyth Barr For Sale middle; Central Library awaited demolition for CCDU's Blueprint Convention Centre / Te Pae
Cambridge Tce: Edwardian dressed punters on Avon River. They'd punted that stretch for months. Beyond stood Central Police multi-storey, Cambridge Tce / Hereford Tce, which would be imploded, 31.05.15. Central Police would move to a temp site, St Asaph St / Antigua St awaiting 2018 opening of CERA's Blueprint Justice & Emergency Services bldg. Ngai Tahu would build West End multi-storey carpark on old Central Police site & also open a new office block on adjacent King Edward Barracks site, 2017.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Cambridge Tce upstream view, Avon River punters near Worcester St Bridge, CCDU's core CBD
Worcester St Bridge: Open for pedestrians going to Cathedral Sq demolition sites & desolation. Edwardian trams trundled over too.
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Worcester St Bridge / Cambridge Tce view, abandoned Central Police, repaired Council bldg, CCDU's core CBD. Central Police would be imploded 31.05.15. Ngai Tahu's multi-storey West End carpark would open on site, 2017
15.12.13. Tram crossing Cambridge Tce by Worcester St Bridge, CCDU's core CBD. Central Police behind would be imploded 31.05.15. Ngai Tahu's multi-storey West End carpark would open on site, 2017
15.12.13. Worcester St Bridge, E view, Cathedral Sq: Steel propped Our City left, abandoned Rydges Hotel beyond left, abandoned Christ Church Cathedral middle, abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel middle right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Worcester St Bridge, W view, Cambridge Tce crossing, Worcester Blvd, CCDU's core CBD. HSBC Tower left, abandoned Harley right. 2022. Harley bldg would still be abandoned, a boarded, tagged eyesore, asbestos polluted
Trekked beside Avon River to Hereford St Bridge. Along the way, E across Clarendon Tower demolition-site, Christ Church Cathedral ghost behind cordon-fencing, awaited Heritage-hailers saving the Cathedral via court cases galore vs Anglican diocese wanting to demolish. Cathedral cordon-fence, black with kitsch floral designs. 2020. Black-fencing, still there. W side, Cathedral Sq, before the Cathedral, kitsch Maori whare, filled with plants.
2021. Floral whare & cop kiosk gone, demolished. Christ Church Cathedral ghost, still kitsch-fenced, slow reinstatement, moot for the next decade.
2022. Christ Church Cathedral, W, N, S cordon-fence, covered with hundreds of white-square, ad-boards touting Ullrich Aluminium. Mt Gerald Station farmer, who would head-hunt Leah as a lake Tekapo School teacher was a director of Ullrich Aluminium. WW Memorial (covered in aluminium scaffolding & white plastic) would be moved further W enabling reinstatement machinery to operate. Cordon-board:
The Citizens' War Memorial
is on the move
Following careful deconstruction
and repair work, the Memorial
will be reinstated on public land
in Cathedral Square. Christchurch
City Council will then continue to
care for it on behalf of the citizens
of Christchurch
Together, the Dean and Chapter
of Christ Church Cathedral, and
Church Property Trustees are
very pleased to gift the Memorial
to the city and to support
the Council in its repair and
relocation.
The project to relocate the Citizens'
War Memorial has been made possible
thanks to funding and support from:...
2023. Ullrich Aluminium ads on cordon-fence surrounding Christ Church Cathedral reinstatement: pics of grinning faces, saving the Cathedral. History timeline on Cathedral cordon-fence stated how the Cathedral was being saved, but omitted mentioning recent sqabbles between Anglican diocese & Heritage-hailers.
15.12.13. Cambridge Tce view, Cathedral Sq: Clarendon Tower demolition site in foreground. Abandoned Rydges Hotel shops & multi-storey carpark left. Abandoned Government Life left awaited demolition. Repaired / reopened Novotel, Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel middle. Abandoned Christ Church Cathedral right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Oxford Tce view, Hereford St Bridge, E view, reopened Ibis Hotel middle left, part demolished BNZ beyond, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD. 2019. Spark multi-storey would be built on BNZ demo site
15.12.13. Oxford Tce, N view, Our City awaited restoration left, CCDU's core CBD. 2021. Our City restoration would begin
Hereford St Bridge: E view to Restart Cashel Mall, shipping-container shops on several demolition-sites. Wooden, green, Shands Emporium ghost, Hereford St, close to Restart Cashel Mall shipping-containers. The Press, Xmas Day would report a local "nutter" would spend $250 000 to relocate Shands Emporium, a heritage bldg, to Redcliffs & restore it.
June 2015. Shands Emporium ghost would be relocated to Manchester St, next to Trinity Church ghost, while post-quake rebuild, Westende House across the road was demolished, for Manchester St widening. 2019. Michael Mayell, Cookie Time owner would want to turn Shands Emporium & Trinity Church into NZ's Cannabis Institute, Whakamana. That farce fizzled. (See Coda below).
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St Bridge, SE view, Oxford Tce demolition sites. Relocating Shands Emporium beyond by Restart Cashel Mall, CCDU's core CBD
Oxford Tce from Hereford St to Lichfield St crossings: Either demolition-sites or ghosts, like Mad Cow. Along Oxford Tce, The Terrace development along Avon River bank already had foundations laid behind cordon-fencing. Info-boards on cordon- fencing described The Terrace concept for passersby. Bridge of Remembrance, being repaired.
2014. Mad Cow would be demolished for relocated Restart Cashel Mall shipping-container-shops. Container-shops were moved so that BNZ Centre could be built further down Cashel Mall next to Pagoda Court ghost, opp Ballantynes.
2019. Pagoda Court would be demolished for Kathmandu opening. Demo-sites, Lichfield St / Oxford Tce where Mad Cow & shipping-container-shops once stood would become Riverside Market: several cafes, restaurants, fresh fish shop.
15.12.13. The Terrace new build, Oxford Tce, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. The Terrace foundations, Oxford Tce, Restart Cashel Mall beyond, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Bridge of Remembrance repairs, Oxford Tce, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Oxford Tce, E view, Restart Cashel Mall, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Demolition site carpark, Restart Cashel Mall, Oxford Tce, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Abandoned Mad Cow, awaited demolition, Oxford Tce, CCDU's core CBD. Riverside Market would be built on site
15.12.13. Abandoned bldg, Oxford Tce / Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD
Private sector, commercial development in post-quake Christchurch was much quicker than slow commercial development in CCDU's core CBD. Private sector Victoria St, Riccarton Rd & Moorhouse Ave hummed with new developments. CCDU's core CBD, stagnant.
Lichfield St: Trekked E past Omega Rental Cars ghost, past a demolition-site carpark going to Restart Cashel Mall, past a carpark garage ghost, past flower-tubs by the busy temporary Bus Exchange, past post-quake, Ballantynes Fashion Atrium, past Rohits Indian restaurant ghost. Rohits Indian Restaurant would be demolished for Hoyts EntX, opened 2018.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Omega Rental Cars, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Lichfield St, N view, demolition site carpark for Restart Cashel Mall, Hereford St beyond, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned carpark, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD. The carpark would be revamped next to new Riverside Market. Another multi-storey carpark would be built further E along Lichfield St
15.12.13. Flower tubs, Temporary Bus Exchange, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. BUS ACCESS ONLY. Orange, plastic, road cone cordon. Lichfield St, Temporary Bus Exchange view, Ballantynes Fashion Atrium new build, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Lichfield St, E view, abandoned bldgs, incl Rohits Indian restaurant right, CCDU's core CBD, Rohits Indian Restaurant would be demolished for Hoyts EntX, opened 2018
Lichfield St / Colombo St crossing: Full of orange-plastic-road-cones, steel-mesh-fence-cordons & a trench down the middle of Colombo St towards the airbridge at The Crossing by Cashel Mall. Airbridge sides: covered with pics of a blue sky with white clouds.
One cnr, Lichfield St crossing, weedy demolition-site; other 3 cnrs, ghosts, like R & R Sport & The Frontrunner: broken window & a series of silvery, plastic mannequins "running" beside inner walls of the shop. The Frontrunner would be demolished for the Bus Interchange, opened 2018.
Council's idea of art: painted kitsch, geometric patterns & flowers on Colombo St & Gloucester St, giving colour to demolition-sites & attracting citizens back to the CBD. During quake years, we'd seen 2 life-sized, bronze bull statues on 2 grand pianos, on a Madras St demolition-site & 2 giant, silver gnomes guarding closed-for-repairs Art Gallery, Worcester Blvd. There were new murals, graffiti, footpath-graffiti by contractors all over town. There was container-art covering shipping-containers below cliffs on the road to Sumner.
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones. Steel mesh fence cordon. Colombo St / Lichfield St, N view, post quake Colombo St repair, demolition site, abandoned bldgs. Kitsch road markings on pedestrian crossing, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Colombo St / Lichfield St crossing, post quake N view, Colombo St repair, sky art on airbridge at The Crossing. Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel behind awaited repairs, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Colombo St / Lichfield St crossing, post quake S view, Colombo St repairs, abandoned bldgs, CCDU's core CBD. Frontrunner left would be demolished for the new Bus Interchange, opened 2018. Bldgs right would be demolished for Hoyts EntX, opened 2018.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned R & R Sport, The Frontrunner, Colombo St / Lichfield St crossing, CCDU's core CBD. The Frontrunner would be demolished for the New Bus Interchange, opened 2018. R & R Sport would be demolished for Hoyts EntX, opened 2018
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange digger. Colombo St / Lichfield St crossing view, abandoned The Frontrunner, CCDU's core CBD. The Frontrunner would be demolished for the new Bus Interchange, opened 2018
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Colombo St / Lichfield St crossing, W view, Colombo St repairs, abandoned bldgs lining Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD. R & R Sport left would be demolished for Hoyts EntX, opened 2018
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Quake demolition site, abandoned, old, bus exchange, Colombo St / Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD. The area would be part of The Crossing new build
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Lichfield St / Colombo St crossing, E view, Lichfield St, abandoned bldgs lining Lichfield St. Abandoned, old bus exchange left, CCDU's core CBD, would be part of The Crossing new build
Lichfield St E to Manchester St: Pre-quakes, bus exchange ghost was part-demolished, dusty mess: gaping holes in walls, twisted rebars awaiting final-demolition. The area close to Colombo St would become part of The Crossing new-build. Beyond: Lincoln House ghost, surrounded by demolition-sites.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Part demolished bus exchange, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD. The demo site would become The Crossing new build
Lichfield St: N view across demolition-sites & empty cordoned streets, I saw across Cashel St to Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition-site which would become Grand Central Building, multi-storey office bldg. Beyond, a trio of ghosts: Malvern House; apartment block; Broadlands House on desolate Hereford St. (Those 3 ghosts would for years be taggers' & vagrants' paradise). Behind them I saw the back of Government Departmental Buildings, now reopened Heritage Hotel. Next door, Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel ghost. Behind Heritage Hotel, repaired / reopened Novotel. NE repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel loomed above the lot.
15.12.13. Lichfield St N view, demolition gap by part demolished bus exchange left. Back sides of abandoned bldgs beyond, around Cathedral Sq. Only Novotel & Heritage Hotel middle left & Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel right beyond were repaired & reopened, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Lichfield St demolition site N view, Hereford St, bldgs around Cathedral Sq: part demolished BNZ left, abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel middle, repaired, reopened Novotel & Heritage Hotel right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Lichfield St demolition site, NE view, abandoned Hereford St bldgs: Malvern House middle left, apartments middle, Broadlands House & Mancinis Cafe middle right. Repaired Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel behind left, abandoned Design & Arts College behind right, CCDU's core CBD. Rubble heap, Grand Chancellor Hotel demolition site would become Grand Central Building. Cars parked on Westpac demolition site
15.12.13. Orange, plastic road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned bldgs, Lichfield St. Part demolished bus exchange left, Lincoln House right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. New build, Stranges office block, Lichfield St / High St / Manchester St, CCDU's S Frame
Lichfield St: S view across a CERES demolition-site & steel-mesh-fence-cordons, yellow, CERES crane surrounded by irrigators spraying water, laying dust. No explanatory board nor DANGER signs on the cordon-fence! Was I breathing in asbestos dust? Beyond sprayers, backside of Tuam St multi-storey Council ghost, covered in a wall of white plastic. During quake years, I'd seen several multi-storey ghosts covered in white plastic. Tuam St, multi-storey Council ghost awaited demolition for the Bus Interchange.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Lichfield St view, back of abandoned Council bldg covered in white plastic, CCDU's core CBD. The Council bldg would be demolished for the new Bus Interchange
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Part demolished bldg & abandoned bldg propped by stacked shipping containers, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Stranges new build & stacked shipping containers propping a facade, Lichfield St. Red tourist bus searching for tourists, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. USAR / TF graffiti, abandoned bldg, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned bldg, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD
Next to the white, plastic-wrapped, Council ghost, a part-demolished, brick bldg. Next door facade of another brick bldg, propped by a 6 layer wall of shipping-containers. That area of still forbidden CBD around Sol Sq ghost had 4 more bldgs in the vicinity with old, brick-facades propped by stacked shipping-containers: one facade on Manchester St; Odeon Theatre facade propped by containers on Tuam St; another facade propped on High St; another facade propped, Manchester St / Bedford Row. Heritage-hailers wanted to save Majestic Theatre ghost, Lichfield St / Manchester St & Council ghost, Tuam St. Both ghosts would be demolished for E Frame / Rauora Park & the Bus Interchange respectively.
Lichfield St / High St / Manchester St: Stranges steel-glass bldg, similar to Forte Health on Kilmore St, only two recent rebuilds so far in CERA's core-CBD. Both glass-facaded bldgs. CERA minister Brownlee desired post-quake Christchurch as the "Sports Capital of NZ." After thousands of house-demolitions, Brownlee wished to flood Avon River, residential red-zones, making a rowers' paradise.
15.12.13. Orange, plastic road cones, steel mesh fence cordon. Lichfield St / Manchester St / High St, W view, abandoned bldgs, Stranges new build, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Lichfield St / Manchester St, S view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs towards Sol Sq, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Manchester St, SW view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs by Sol Sq, CCDU's core CBD. Odeon Theatre facade propped by stacked shipping containers left, Tuam St, CCDU's S Frame
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St, S view, demolition sites, facades propped by stacked shipping containers, CCDU's S Frame & abandoned bldgs by Sol Sq, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Faux pissoir for ads. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St / High St, E view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs, facade propped by stacked shipping containers, High St, CCDU's S Frame. Old PO / Alice in Videoland behind, junk art on roof, Tuam St / High St
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, plastic bollards. Manchester St / Lichfield St / High St, E view, part demolished Poplar Ln, CCDU's S Frame. The bldg would survive the quakes as Dux Central
15.12.13. Quake tilted lamp pole. Quake outdated, Council info board. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, plastic bollards. Manchester St / High St, N view, abandoned Manchester St bldgs: Te Wanaga o Aotearoa left would survive the quakes as revamped The Art Muse Hotel in CCDU's core CBD. Majestic Theatre right awaited demolition for CCDU's E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, plastic bollards. Abandoned, cordoned Majestic Theatre, awaited demolition, Manchester St / Lichfield St, CCDU's E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Orange, plastic, road cones, steel mesh fence cordons. Stranges new build, Manchester St / Lichfield St / High St, CCDU's core CBD. Orange Nucleus sculpture right would survive the quakes
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St, W view, High St, restored Bonnington House abandoned bldgs, incl WINZ, CCDU's core CBD
Manchester St: Still fucked by CCDU, cleaving W side into core-CBD & E side into Blueprint E Frame / S Frame, Lichfield St the divide. I trekked N past cordoned Bedford Way, demolition-sites & ghosts, which would be demolished for E Frame / Rauora Park. Trekked past all Manchester Street's ravaged demolition-sites & ghosts, like Majestic Theatre, awaiting demolition for Rauora Park. Trekked past CCDU's core-CBD: Te Wananga o Aotearoa (awaiting restoration as The Art Muse Hotel) by the orange Nucleus sculpture; Holiday Inn demolition-site; Kensington House ghost, awaiting restoration; All Seasons Hotel (Break Free) ghost behind. Trekked past fallen steel-mesh-fence-cordons by Te Wananga o Aotearoa & Kensington House. There were orange-plastic-bollards & orange-plastic-road-cones, ubiquitous as rebuild workers in their orange or greeny-yellow-Hi-Vis-vests.
15.12.13. Orange, plastic bollards, steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned bldgs, Manchester St, incl Majestic Theatre right, awaiting demolition, 2014, for CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Facade propped by stacked shipping containers, Manchester St / Bedford Row. The bldg would be demolished, 2014, for CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordoned Manchester St / Bedford Row junction, E view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs, for CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park. Abandoned IR bldg middle would survive the quakes
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, plastic, road fence. Stacked shipping container cordon. Manchester St, SE view, abandoned bldgs between Bedford Row & Lichfield St. Abandoned Majestic Theatre behind. The bldgs would be demolished, 2014, for CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Yellow stickered, USAR / TF graffitied, abandoned Te Wananga o Aotearoa, Manchester St / High St, CCDU's core CBD. The building would be restored as The Art Muse Hotel
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St, SW view, demolition sites, like Holiday Inn, Cashel St, & CCDU's core CBD abandoned bldgs
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St, NW view, CCDU's core CBD demolition sites & abandoned bldgs, like All Seasons Hotel middle. Repaired, reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel behind right. All Seasons would be renamed Break Free, which would stand next to Grand Central Building on Hotel Grand Chancellor demo site
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St view across demolition sites & Cashel St to abandoned bldgs, like WINZ middle, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Kensington House, side wall stripped off by quake, Manchester St, CCDU's core CBD. Kensington House would be restored. All Seasons (Break Free) behind left would also survive the quakes
15.12.13. USAR / TF graffitied, yellow stickered, Kensington House, Manchester St, CCDU's core CBD. Kensington House would be restored
Manchester St E view: E Frame bldgs awaited CCDU's taking & road-widening, like Shooters ghost, Manchester Courts demolition- site & Oaks Smartstay Apartments ghost, Cashel St. CCDU's Blueprint E Frame, demo-land had some revived bldgs: Alice in Videoland, Tuam St; CI Cafe, High St; Les Mills Gym, Cashel St & Calendar Girls, Hereford St. Calendar Girls would be demolished, relocated to Victoria St opp the Casino.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, plastic, road fence. Manchester St NE view, Cashel St abandoned bldgs: Shooters left, Oaks Smartstay Apartments right. Shooters & adjacent bldgs would be demolished, 2014, for CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St NE view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs along Cashel St. Oaks Homestay Apartments left. 2014. The bldgs would be demolished for CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Shooters, Manchester St. Oaks Smartstay Apartments behind. 2014. The bldgs would be demolished for the CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Orange, plastic bollards. Abandoned bldgs, Manchester St. 2014. Bldgs would be demolished for CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park
Manchester St E view: Steel-mesh-fence-cordoned demolition-sites went all the way E, along Lichfield St, past ruined High St & demolished Poplar Ln, to Madras St & beyond to Turners & Growers site where CERA Blueprinted a 35 000 seater stadium.
Latimer Sq: Anglican diocese had erected its transitional Cardboard Cathedral, Jap architect Shigeru Ban, on its St Johns demolition-site, just outside CCDU's Blueprint E Frame, close to Blueprint stadium site.
Manchester St / Hereford St crossing: I detoured W to see demolition-sites & ghosts I hadn't viewed closeup since 22 February quake. Demolition-sites on 3 cnrs, incl Bradley Nuttal House ghost; Torrens House ghost on NE cnr. Both bldgs would be demolished for CCDU's E Frame / Rauora Park.
15.12.13. Demolition sites, incl Bradley Nuttal House, Torrens House, NE Manchester St / Hereford St, NZ CCDU's E Frame / Rauora Park
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. SE Manchester St / Hereford St, E view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs, CCDU's Blueprint E Frame. Temp reopened Calendar Girls left. A bit of Cardboard Cathedral beyond
Hereford St: Demolition-sites both street-sides, lined by ghosts. I looked S across Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition-site to wasteland Cashel St & High St to Stranges steel-glass rebuild, restored Bonnington House & ghosts like WINZ & beyond, to part-demolished, Bus Exchange ghost, Lichfield St & white-plastic-wrapped, Council ghost, Tuam St. Another demolition-site: parked yellow-digger next to an almost-demolished bldg by 2 yellow-skips. Demolition-rubble: either crushed on-site for rebuild-foundations, or stored in skips for trucking to Burwood dump, Bottle Lake Forest Park.
15.12.13. Hereford St view, Hotel Grand Chancellor, demolition site S view across wasteland Cashel St & High St to restored Bonnington House middle left & abandoned bldgs, CCDU's core CBD. Abandoned All Seasons Hotel left would be renamed Break Free. Most of this demo site would become Grand Central Building
15.12.13. Hereford St view, Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition site, Stranges steel & glass rebuild left, restored Bonnington House, High St right, CCDU's core CBD. Grand Central Building would be built on the demo site
15.12.13. Hereford St view, Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition site, restored Bonnington House left, abandoned WINZ middle, more abandoned bldgs, High St, CCDU's core CBD. Grand Central Building would be built on the demo site
15.12.13. Hereford St & Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition site, S view across wasteland Cashel St, High St & Lichfield St demolition sites & abandoned bldgs to abandoned Tuam St Council bldg, covered in white plastic, middle. Part demolished, old bus exchange right, Lichfield St, CCDU's core CBD. The old Council bldg would be demolished for the new Bus Interchange. Demo site in this pic would become Grand Central Building
15.12.13. Hereford St, SE view across Hotel Grand Chancellor demolition site to abandoned All Seasons Hotel / Break Free left, High St rebuild & restored bldgs, CCDU's core CBD. Most of the demo site would become Grand Central Building
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Yellow, high reach digger. Demolition in progress, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Hereford St, SW view across demolition sites to High St & Cashel St abandoned bldgs, CCDU's core CBD
Hereford St: N, snapped a cnr, steel-mesh-fence-cordoned, Chinese Restaurant & Bistro ghost & steel-mesh-fence-cordoned, Hereford Chambers / Mancini's ghost, steel & concrete-block propped, black-plastic flapping in the wind at roof height. Across a steel-mesh-fence-cordoned lane, 3 ghosts propped together: Broadlands House; abandoned apartments, powder blue outer walls; Malvern House, all with broken windows, all rubbished by quakes. Further along Hereford St: big demolition-site, detached excavator-buckets, demolition-rubble, parked yellow-digger gave a similar view to what I'd seen from Lichfield St. Saw Christ Church Cathedral ghost apse between reopened Heritage Hotel & Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel ghost.
2015. Chinese Restaurant ghost would resurrect as Mexico Restaurant, Hereford St / Manchester St.
2022. Ghosts: Malvern House, ghost apartments; Broadlands House; Hereford Chambers / Mancini's would still be eyesores, Hereford St.
15.12.13. ROAD CLOSED. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned bldgs, CCDU's core CBD, Manchester St / Hereford St. Repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel behind. 2015. Cnr Chinese Restaurant would become Mexico Restaurant
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Chinese Restaurant & Bistro, Manchester St / Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD. 2015. Chinese Restaurant would become Mexico Restaurant
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St N view, demolition site, abandoned bldgs: Hereford Chambers / Mancini's left, Design & Art College behind, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St NW view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs, CCDU's core CBD: Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel left, Malvern House & apartments middle, Broadlands House right
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St NW view, demolition sites, abandoned bldgs, CCDU's core CBD: Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel left; Malvern House, apartments & Broadlands House middle; Hereford Chambers / Mancini's right
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Hereford Chambers / Mancini's, 167 Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Broadlands House left; abandoned, concrete & steel propped Hereford Chambers / Mancini's right, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Broadlands House entrance, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned apartments entrance, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Malvern House entrance, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Quake trashed office, Malvern House, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St N view, demolition site, abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel & Christ Church Cathedral apse left, repaired / reopened Heritage Hotel right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St N view, demolition site, abandoned Millennium Hotel / Distinction Hotel left, repaired / reopened Novotel middle, repaired / reopened Heritage Hotel right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Hereford St NE view, demolition site, repaired / reopened Heritage Hotel left, repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel behind, abandoned Malvern House & apartments right, CCDU's core CBD
Hereford St: Although Avonmore Tertiary College was opened months ago, it was dusty, bordered by demolition-sites, ghosts, a steel-mesh-fence-cordon across the street. How could they do business obstructed by all that CBD cordon-fencing? (Aug 2018. Avonmore College would go into voluntary liquidation. Sept 2019, FOR LEASE sign in window). That was the challenge of any business reopening in CCDU's core- CBD: surrounded by dust, demolition-sites, ghosts, thumping machines. Some examples: Avonmore College; Restart Cashel Mall, temp shipping- container shops; Ibis Hotel; Novotel; Rendezvous Hotel / Pacific Tower; Heritage Hotel; New Regent St shops; The Press rebuild; Cathedral Junction shops.
Sept 2019. While Tertiary Avonmore College went bung, across Hereford St, during 2018-19, Spark multi-storey new-build would progress. A slow build, as Spark was built on BNZ demo-site, notorious for asbestos pollution. Meanwhile across Cathedral Sq, on Worcester St by Rydges Hotel ghost-shops I saw DANGER ASBESTOS DUST HAZARD on yellow-plastic-tape on a steel-mesh-fence-cordon. How many 1000s of citizens wandered past that asbestos-hazard before the hazard-tape was hung?
There were also shops beyond CCDU's core-CBD, mostly in CCDU's Blueprint E Frame, struggling to do business, surrounded by demolition- wastelands & ghosts, like Westende House (would be CERA demolished for Manchester St widening); Calendar Girls (would be relocated close to Christchurch Casino); Les Mills Gym; Alice in Videoland; C1 Cafe; NG Gallery. Only busy organization: Anglican Cardboard Cathedral by Latimer Sq, on CCDU's Blueprint E Frame fringe.
While I trekked Hereford St looking at asbestos-polluted, part-demolished, BNZ bank by Colombo St crossing, 3 women wandered by, one pushing a pram. Infant asbestosis or silicosis?
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. W view Hereford St: Reopened Avonmore Tertiary College left, part demolished BNZ middle right, reopened Ibis Hotel beyond, CCDU's core CBD. BNZ demo site would become Spark multi-storey
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Reopened Avonmore Tertiary College, Hereford St, CCDU's core CBD. Aug 2018. Avonmore College would go into voluntary liquidation
Manchester St: Trekked back to my car, past vast, roadside demolition-sites. Worcester St crossing: SW cnr, steel-mesh- fence-cordoned, boarded, steel-braced, Trinity Church / Octagon Restaurant ghost.
15.12.13. Manchester St W view, abandoned Chinese Restaurant & Bistro left, abandoned Hereford Chambers / Mancini's middle, CCDU's core CBD. 2015. Chinese Restaurant would become Mexico Restaurant
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St SW view, abandoned bldgs: Hereford Chambers / Mancini's left, apartments middle, Malvern House right, CCDU's core CBD. 2022. Those bldgs would still be abandoned eyesores
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Abandoned Design & Arts College left, abandoned Trinity Church / Octagon Restaurant right, repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel behind, Manchester St, CCDU's core CBD. Shands Emporium would be relocated next to Trinity Church
15.12.13. Boarded, steel braced, abandoned Trinity Church / Octagon Restaurant, Manchester St, CCDU's core CBD
Across the road, Westende House new-build, scene of collapsed Westende Jeweller, Ground Zero in 4 September quake. As new Westende House was built before CERA's regime, CERA / CCDU would demolish brand-new Westende House for CERA's Manchester St widening & Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park. Westende House would be demolished, July 2015.
15.12.13. Westende House new build, Ground Zero 04.09.10 Darfield Quake, where Westende Jeweller once stood, Manchester St / Worcester St, CCDU's Blueprint E Frame / Rauora Park. July 2015, Westende House would be demolished by CERA for Manchester St widening
Manchester St: Both sides, between Worcester St & Gloucester St crossings, dusty demolition sites, some going to Latimer Sq. Cathedral Junction: recently opened, slow trading, big CJ logo high on the concrete wall, Manchester St side. Months before, bottom of CJ wall, an artist splashed orange paint, street art. 2019. Orange "art" would still pollute the concrete wall.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St NW view, kitsch, orange mural on repaired / reopened Cathedral Junction wall. Repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel behind, CCDU's core CBD
Detoured W up Gloucester St to revamped New Regent St where Asian tourists happy-snapped. New Regent St: Wizard's red, VW Beetle parked, 2 fronts of 2 VW Beetles welded together, 2 steering-wheels, 2 bonnets, 4 doors.
15.12.13. Gloucester St NW view, stacked shipping containers supported Isaac Theatre Royal restoration left, repaired / reopened New Regent St middle, Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel behind, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Repaired / reopened Cathedral Junction, Gloucester St, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. The Wizard's red, VW Beetle parked on repaired / reopened New Regent St, CCDU's core CBD
Neighbouring demolition-site: demolition-mural, Lorca poem, memorial to a quake-killed Spaniard. People from many lands died in 22 February quake. Dusty demolition-site, locals flogged table-wares. Bike-fixing shack, closed.
15.12.13. Gloucester St demolition site behind New Regent St: Rotary tyre / weed pot; mini golf; wares for sale; bike repair hut; mural with Lorca poem, CCDU's core CBD
Manchester St / Gloucester St: More kitsch art, dark mural of Christ Church Cathedral, The Wizard in black garb flailing his arms, dark, stormy night, lady in black garb right cnr. Artists, recently encouraged to cover demolition-walls with graffiti art. Reason: coverup tilt-slab, concrete-walls, new blots on the CBD.
15.12.13. Kitsch mural right, Gloucester St demolition site, abandoned Sampan House left, repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel middle, CCDU's core CBD. Sampan House would survive the quakes
15.12.13. Empty tourist bus, kitsch road markings, Gloucester St. Repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel behind, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon sign. "Cleaned" demolition site, Manchester St / Gloucester St, CCDU's core CBD
Council kitsch: Flowers painted on CBD footpaths; green stripes painted on Colombo St & Gloucester St roadsides; planter-tubs & metal flower-tubs on roadsides.
Rotary placed orange-painted-tyres as flower-pots on demolition-sites: Weedy.
Greening the Rubble tarted demolition-sites with pot-plants: dusty, weedy, junky mess.
Manchester St / Gloucester St: Dirty demolition-site, steel-mesh-fence-cordon sign:
THIS SITE WAS
CLEANED
PLANT GANG
15.12.13. Manchester St Bridge view, quake broken, Avon River bank wall, demolished Retour Restaurant dome, abandoned Ernst & Young behind, CCDU's core CBD. 2015. Ernst & Young would be demolished. 2020-21. Edmonds Band Rotunda would be restored, copper dome on top
Manchester St Bridge view: Cambridge Tce, Retour Restaurant's copper-dome stood on Avon River bank for months. (By 2015 copper-dome was wrapped in white plastic. 2019. Wrapped-plastic-dome would still be there. 2020-21. Edmonds Band Rotunda would be fully restored, copper-dome atop). Beyond: Ernst & Young ghost, awaited demolition.
15.12.13. Steel mesh fence cordon. Manchester St W view, demolition sites, abandoned Ernst & Young left, awaited demolition, Forte Health new build right, CCDU's core CBD
Cambridge Tce: Trekked dry grass by PGC demolition-site. Looked S across Avon River at CBD's post-quake skyline. Few high-rises left: restored Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel; The Press, glassy new-build; restored Novotel; Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel ghost. Christ Church Cathedral ghost rotted below Novotel. From all viewpoints on my circular walk around CCDUs' core-CBD, Christ Church Cathedral: insignificant. Despite demolitions of some surrounding bldgs, Christ Church Cathedral: dwarfed by modern bldgs.
15.12.13. Cambridge Tce S view: 18 people died when PGC collapsed in the 22.02.11 quake. CCDU's core CBD & post quake skyline: Repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel left, The Press rebuild middle left, repaired / reopened Novotel middle right, abandoned Christ Church Cathedral right
15.12.13. Cambridge Tce: PGC demolition site S view, repaired / reopened Pacific Tower / Rendezvous Hotel left, repaired / reopened New Regent St middle, The Press rebuild right, CCDU's core CBD
15.12.13. Cambridge Tce: PGC demolition site S view, repaired / reopened New Regent St left, The Press rebuild middle left, repaired / reopened Novotel middle right, abandoned Christ Church Cathedral right, CCDU's core CBD
*Trekked Kilmore St, Durham St Nth, Cambridge Tce, Oxford Tce, Lichfield St, Manchester St, Hereford St. 232 images.
Although I would write more quake-posts, I would stop snapping ghosts, as over the last 3 years, I'd snapped 20 600 pics & would spend the next decade revising quake-posts.
Coda:
January 2014. Footpath-graffiti, spray-painted by contractors sorting infrastructure: many lines, arrows, numbers (many with decimal points) words & letters, including W, H2O, PWR, PW, P, POD, LV, 11KV, S, SW, T/C, Telecom, TC, ENTER, END. Common symbol was a circle with a line through it. Others were white, right-angles forming a rectangle, or yellow, parallel, dotted lines signifying areas of asphalt to be cut.
Recently, I'd trekked a section of Glandovey Rd between Idris Rd traffic-circle & Memorial Ave. Footpathss & roadsides were full of contractor-symbols beside Ditch Witch drills, concrete-cutters, mini-diggers & many orange-Hi-Vis-vested workmen. I'd counted 8 spray-painted, symbol-colours signifying different underground pipes, cables & areas to be excavated: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white, while dodging orange-plastic-road-cones & footpath threat-signs ordering me to use the footpath on the other side of the road.
One morning, contractors closed both footpaths, barricaded by orange-plastic-road-cones & threat-signs. When I crossed the road, looking at the Traffic Management bloke, he shook his hard-hatted head, exasperated by contractors & traffic around him. By next day, he'd sorted out pedestrian-safety & road-cones, one footpath safe for pedestrians, the other banned. Glandovey Rd wasn't the only graffiti-polluted, contractor-clogged road I trekked.
Lettering was inconsistent depending on which contractor did what job. In addition to some of the above spray-painted lines, numbers, colours, words & letters, on Garreg Rd & Ilam Rd, I saw E/E with associated direction triangle, SWE, G, XS. Also TELSTRA, London St; GAS, Bealey Ave; CHORUS FIBRE, JOINT, B, each circled, Papanui Rd, Harewood Rd; DROP, WASTE WATER, WASTE H20, Greers Rd... That sort of graffiti was found all over Christchurch where road & footpath excavations progressed.
Many SCIRT & Council excavations had warning-boards about worker-safety behind cordons: Slow Down, 30 km/h speed limit... but few warnings about driver, cyclist, pedestrian safety.
10.01.14. 3.33pm, M4.2 quake, 9km depth, 20km W of Christchurch (GeoNet). Jiggled my pc monitor while I edited, thumped my chair: arse-kicked!
Greers Rd work, SCIRT / City Care, 16.01.14 letter:
WORKS NOTICE - NIGHT WORK
We are working on the video inspection (CCTV) of the wastewater and / or storm water pipes in your area. This inspection is to determine the extent of repairs required to the pipes as a result of the earthquakes.
We expect to be in your area from the 16th January to 20th January 2014.
Some of this inspection work needs to be carried out at night. There may be noise from the pipe cleaning trucks and flashing lights associated with this work.
We appreciate this work may cause some disturbance to you. We apologize for this and request your patience while we undertake this essential work.
This work is being undertaken by PipeWorks with the work being managed by a City Care representative... Please contact... if you have any questions in relation to these works.
Thank you,
City Care CCTV
"Disturbance" was CERA understatement, as citizens who had such inspections complained about back-blasts of explosive shit in their toilets & bathrooms during inspections. SCIRT / CERA took its time 3 years post 22 February quake, as plumbers had recommended such inspections post 4 September quake.
Armagh St: 2016. The Piano, Centre for Music & Arts would open on some of the Performing Arts Precinct, which would stay a shingled mess for years, hemmed in by The Piano, New Library / Turanga, new Convention Centre / Te Pae & revamped Crowne Plaza Hotel (old Forsyth Barr). Only in 2023-24 would Court Theatre be built.
Sept 2019. While Leah attended a literacy conference at Rydges Hotel, Latimer Sq, I trekked the CBD for 3 days checking slow rebuilds. Manchester St, Shands Emporium wall plaque:
SHAND'S
circa 1860
RE-OPENED 22nd SEPTEMBER 2017
Moved from its original site at 88 Hereford St, Shand's has been
extensively repaired, strengthened and restored.
It is the oldest commercial building in the central city.
As a result of the 22 February 2011 earthquake Shand's was extensively
damaged. It was rescued in 2015 by the Christchurch Heritage Trust.
Heritage New Zealand, Category 1 listing. Christchurch City Council Group 1 listing.
Trustees...
A notice on Shand's front door read:
WHAKAMANA: NZ's Cannabis Institute
fok a mana:
To restore the mana of/or in one word whakamana is Maori for empowerment.
For the past 80 years Cannabis has been at the forefront of of the failed war on drugs -
prohibition propaganda politics and big business have convinced billions of people that this
beautiful plant is evil.
The NZ Institute for cannabis education research and development, WHAKAMANA has been
established to right that wrong and to help bring cannabis back to once more hold its rightful
position as one of humanities [sic] greatest natural resources.
Whakamana Museum Limited is seeking to raise $2 million to establish a cannabis centre of
excellence in 2 of Christchurch's oldest (150yrs+) most historic, and iconic buildings; the Trinity
Church (Trinity) and Shands Emporium (Hemporium) on the corner of Worcester and Manchester Street in the heart of the CBD...
Please join us at www.cannabisinstitute.ac.nz where you can sign up for our newsletter and hop on this waka.
WHAKAMANA
Cannabis Institute idea soon fizzled.
Content & pics Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.
See Mural poem honours quake victim (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Arts infusion adds SPARK (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Restart retailers in dark on leases (The Press / Stuff Co).
See $217m metro sport facility launched (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Artist resurrects red zone houses (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Opportunity springs from disaster (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Charming nutter saves Shands Emporium (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Rebirth built on loyalty to home (The Press / Stuff Co).
See Business reflects on Canty in 2013 (The Press / Stuff Co).
