Wed 05.06.13. 1 000+ days post 4 September quake, I trekked Victoria St to Victoria Sq to see transformation from a Victorian planned street to a quake destroyed, partly transformed street & square. Victoria St between Bealey Ave crossing & Salisbury St crossing buzzed: Some shops open, some ghosts, several construction sites, repair sites, demolition sites. Some demolition sites, converted to carparks, some, for sale or lease. Closer I got to open Christchurch Casino, more Victoria St ghosts.
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). CERA's ramping up rebuild?
Why Victoria St boomed: 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, no sign from CERA they would be rebuilt. Regarding CBD housing rebuild: CCDU planned an international competition for high density housing off Madras St by Latimer Sq.
So far, CCDU hadn't figured housing amongst businesses was needed for CBD to thrive. Not just hotels for tourists, in the red zone, cordoned CBD, where there were 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 designed that a year before while planning the CCDU Blueprint in 100 days?
One News 10.06.13: CERA minister Brownlee announced 20 govt agencies would move back to the CBD in 2015 with 2 500 staff. Fat hope: June 2015, there would be no 20 govt agencies in the CBD. Blueprint Anchor Projects stalled, like Justice & Emergency Services Precinct. Only in 2017 would Grand Central offices open for public servants on old Hotel Grand Chancellor site, Cashel St. In future, Brownlee's rebuild would stagger along, step by slow step.
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. Opp side Papanui Rd: Carlton Courts ghosts, One News crew had camped nearby, post 22 February 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 stood part demolished, steel mesh fence cordoned for over a year before it was strengthened 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, busy next door. Across the road: 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 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, open for many months near ghosts & demolition sites converted to carparks. Victoria Jubilee Clock Tower, being restored. When Prince Charles & Camilla visited last year they 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, busy, workman in a crane box lowered to a first floor window.
03.06.13. Rebuild construction site, Victoria St
Victoria St to Kilmore St crossing: Damaged Christchurch Casino, open after 11:00. Demolition sites, ghosts, 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; Copthorne Hotel, gone; Crowne Plaza Hotel, gone, makeshift Pallet Pavilion 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: recently constructed, relocatable Arcades, wooden arches going to Victoria Sq, first brilliance revealed in over 1 000 quake days, amongst post-quake demolitions. Crowne Plaza Hotel gone: vista to Victoria Sq. 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 still messy: foundation holes, steel mesh fence cordoned, while arches were being constructed. Digger 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, Nai Tahu tribe wanted to turn Crowne Plaza demolition site into a Maori Cultural Centre to welcome tourists. But quakes destroyed many Anglican churches, including Christ Church Cathedral, beyond Victoria Sq, aided by post-quakes Civil Defence & CERA demolishers. 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: 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, only live bldg amongst ghosts: Town Hall awaited repairs; steel mesh fence cordoned, Copthorne Hotel awaited demolition; Forsyth Barr / Crowne Plaza Hotel awaited repairs; 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 Retour Restaurant demolition site. Craigs House, gutted before demolition. Several of its blue window panes gone, revealing 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 22 February 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 February quake, after trapped survivors abseiled from windows, due to 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, stopping 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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