Near-new Inand Revenue building to come down
A central Christchurch office building completed just five years ago will be demolished because of earthquake damage.
Simon Henry, owner of the Inland Revenue building in Cashel St, opposite the former site of the Canterbury Television building, said each fresh quake had further undermined the building’s structure.
“It is a bit of a tragedy that a good solid building that was brand new has to come down; it is a waste of energy,” he said. “The continual earthquakes ravaged the frame of the building. Eventually, you are just at the point where it is no longer viable to repair it. It appears that each earthquake does some damage. You have to add them all up.”
Henry said the quakes had stressed the steel and concrete frame. The building would be demolished “as soon as we can get a demolition contractor”.
“It is a big building and the contractors that have the capacity to handle it are tied up on other projects,” he said. “I am not willing to guess when demolition might start.”
He was unsure about the future of the site. “We have settled amicably with our insurance company on the building,” he said. “We may like to sell it in its current state to someone who wants to demolish and rebuild. We may rebuild ourselves. It is something we are just digesting.”
Read more here.
