As detailed in a previous post, just before Christmas, Environment Court Judge Smith granted a demolition consent, subject to conditions to be set in February. Inexplicably, between Christmas and New Year, while congregation members were meeting in the church next door, a fire took hold in the 1885 hall, and...
See here for a recent Opinion piece in the Herald, by architect David Kernohan. He is of the opinion that the legislation requiring earthquake strengthening of heritage buildings is creating unnecessary costs. He worries that the current legislation may see the demise of many country towns and older city precincts....
The restoration of the St James Theatre is on hold at present, due to the proposed associated apartment complex not proceeding. A $250m 39-level apartment building was meant to be built next to it, but that’s been cancelled. Steve Bielby, in charge of the restoration, said all works were suspended....
Bill McKay from the Architecture faculty at the University of Auckland had a very thoughtful discussion on Radio NZ today, about the risk to heritage in the regions, following the legislation enacted after the Christchurch earthquakes. He points out that many heritage buildings in the regions are either empty or...
Today, Heritage NZ is in the Environment Court defending its decision to grant Fletcher Living archaeological sign-off for its Special Housing Area residential housing development. See today’s Newroom article here, explaining the background to this court action.
City Rail Link has employed an archaeologist to document, and where appropriate preserve, archaeological finds found during the CRL construction. See here for a list of the artefacts and archaeological finds uncovered in the CRL construction. See here for information on saving some of Auckland’s earliest roading...
Plans to convert Auckland’s Civic Administration Building into apartments are causing a stir over how to keep the original features of the Category A historic building. Developer John Love and heritage experts are grappling with replacing the facade of the city’s first skyscraper, regarded as a fine example of modernist...
The draft of the refreshed Auckland Plan for the next 30 years was released this week. Built and historic heritage is completely absent from both the Plan Overview and the Full Draft Plan. It seems that environmental and cultural heritage are now the only types of heritage in Auckland. A...
Building 5 at Greenlane Hospital is still empty, neglected and surrounded by a mesh fence 10 years after it was mothballed in 2007. Civic Trust has been regularly contacting the Auckland District Health Board over the years to find out the intentions for the building. Its in a neglected condition,...
With news this week that the historic Kings Arms in Newton has been sold for redevelopment, the last of the music venues in heritage pubs in Auckland will disappear. Recently the Herald profiled historic pubs across the country that had contributed to the country’s live music scene over the years....