Christchurch earthquakes

[imdying]

No... they wont, shit man it hasent sunk in aye... I grew up here been in chch 'most' of my life. Over those 43 yrs I have seen town change in so many ways, but behind al the facards and shop frounts there has allways been the same buildings going back generations... walking colombo today those buildings that remain stood quite and sad, I didnt see the CBD as I knew it but as my parents seen it and there parents... those buildings stood prowd awaiting their fate.

Another way to look at it is that the heritage people were out of control, fuelled by that dilly bitch Anna Crichton... what we have left will be of much greater value now, rather than 'just another bloody heritage building'. We did lose some cool ones though.

[far queue]

... We did lose some cool ones though.

Yes, and meanwhile the bloody ugly 1960's Govt Life building in the square is still standing!

[Grumph]

Yes, and meanwhile the bloody ugly 1960's Govt Life building in the square is still standing!

A splendid example of "cost plus" contract building....no skimping there.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Another way to look at it is that the heritage people were out of control, fuelled by that dilly bitch Anna Crichton... what we have left will be of much greater value now, rather than 'just another bloody heritage building'. We did lose some cool ones though.

dont get me started on the hysteric places trust. wankers.

[Oakie]

Yes, and meanwhile the bloody ugly 1960's Govt Life building in the square is still standing!

And so is that bloody half fallen down tagged-up eyesore opposite Hagley Park ... something to do with the old saleyards? Couldn't believe that was still standing.

[HenryDorsetCase]

And so is that bloody half fallen down tagged-up eyesore opposite Hagley Park ... something to do with the old saleyards? Couldn't believe that was still standing.

I've seen concept development plans for it (years ago) for residential. Not sure if that will happen (or indeed what is happening, bar a large amount of heavy machinery putting in the new poo pipe.

Wouldnt it be a good location for a bunch of midrise offices for displaced CBD punters though?

By the way, BDO House in Victoria Street is definitely going to be demolished. Presumably so will the Lumley Building that backs on to it.

Fidelity house over the road is gone daddy gone.

P Brands further up and the Murray building also coming down I'm told.

Riverlands house is half down. Then the Copthorne and Crown Plaza.

thats in, what, a 200 yard long stretch of Victoria Street? Fark.

[Oakie]

Another way to look at it is that the heritage people were out of control, fuelled by that dilly bitch Anna Crichton... what we have left will be of much greater value now, rather than 'just another bloody heritage building'. We did lose some cool ones though.

I heard a guy who owns an old homestead of some sort saying it was rooted but instead of bulldozing it he would fix it. "It will cost four times as much and take four times as long but I'll fix it." Case proven for me right there. If the heritage people were footing the bill then fine but while it's other people (and struggling insurance companies) paying the bill then they should not push their views too hard.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I heard a guy who owns an old homestead of some sort saying it was rooted but instead of bulldozing it he would fix it. "It will cost four times as much and take four times as long but I'll fix it." Case proven for me right there. If the heritage people were footing the bill then fine but while it's other people (and struggling insurance companies) paying the bill then they should not push their views too hard.

I am aware of a story relating to a person who owns a cat 1 listed hysteric building.

it simply was incapable of surviving EQ's and it had three big knocks. "No no", the HPT people said "it must be repaired".

but its not their (HPT) money. they dont have any money. And sure, given enough time, and money, you could rebuild it exactly as was. Sure you can. But after you're done (and remember this is the insurance company paying, not these fuckwits) you will not be able to insure it. and if you can't insure it you can't borrow money on it.

So to meet code, you end up with something perhaps with the same footprint and outlines, but made in tilt slab or with modern materials and maybe brick facing. And what the hell is the point of that? its not a modern building, and its not an old building. its just an ugly piece of shit.

they were still arguing after the red sticker went on in Feb, after the punters had to steal their own shit out of it, and almost after June 13. They were stuffed then: one of the walls fell in. This particular site is now a hole in the ground.

the thing that gripes me about this HPT is that they dont have any money, nor any concept of commercial reality. Absolutely useless.

[oldrider]

I am aware of a story relating to a person who owns a cat 1 listed hysteric building.

it simply was incapable of surviving EQ's and it had three big knocks. "No no", the HPT people said "it must be repaired".

but its not their (HPT) money. they dont have any money. And sure, given enough time, and money, you could rebuild it exactly as was. Sure you can. But after you're done (and remember this is the insurance company paying, not these fuckwits) you will not be able to insure it. and if you can't insure it you can't borrow money on it.

So to meet code, you end up with something perhaps with the same footprint and outlines, but made in tilt slab or with modern materials and maybe brick facing. And what the hell is the point of that? its not a modern building, and its not an old building. its just an ugly piece of shit.

they were still arguing after the red sticker went on in Feb, after the punters had to steal their own shit out of it, and almost after June 13. They were stuffed then: one of the walls fell in. This particular site is now a hole in the ground.

the thing that gripes me about this HPT is that they dont have any money, nor any concept of commercial reality. Absolutely useless.

So with no financial interest, responsibility, accountability or consequence in anything, why are they having a say and why does anyone have to listen to them?

They are nothing more or less than an enormous confidence trick .... how have they achieved this?

[Oakie]

So with no financial interest, responsibility, accountability or consequence in anything, why are they having a say and why does anyone have to listen to them?

They are nothing more or less than an enormous confidence trick .... how have they achieved this?

They are saying heaps but I don't think the guys with the bulldozers are listening too much.

[Brian d marge]

not to do a my ones bigger than your one , more to say we tend to forget how devastating these things can be
reminded of this by a tweet from old spalders of motogp fame ...
we forget, well I did at least ..until I saw this you tube video ..a coldplay song



Stephen

[Grumph]

Well I'll jump in and take what seems to be the unpopular side of things...as usual

We've found the Historic places trust to be very useful - and a very handy weapon to beat Fletchers over the head with. And shit we needed one too.
Their consulting engineer came to have a look free of charge - nice guy - very knowledgable, most reassuring.
I'm prepared to admit that post Sept there was perhaps too much emphasis on saving the unsavable in the city but most of that has settled down since Feb...
The tourist dollar has been a major source of income for ChCh - fuelled by the city's unique in NZ "englishness" IMO if we finish up with a collection of tilt slab boxes you can wave goodbye to a lot of tourists...Some heritage must remain surely.

[T.W.R]

A bit of a digression from the buildings side of things but worth mentioning anyhow
A bit of junk reading material, the old TV guide. In the issue that's just expired (Jul30-Aug5), the last page article that interviews kiwi celebs "The last word with...." interviewed Howie Morrison Jr , Hunting Aotearoa host

The 2nd to last question asked to him was 'What other hobbies do you have?'.... his reply was he loves his fishing and that he'd just formed a Kapa Haka group, The Howard Morrison Jnr Trio. Well this what caught my eye in his answer

"We just performed over in Samoa and fundraised 130,000 tala, which is going back to the Christchurch appeal which is specifically set aside for Maori and Pacific island community"

FFS!

[HenryDorsetCase]

A bit of a digression from the buildings side of things but worth mentioning anyhow
A bit of junk reading material, the old TV guide. In the issue that's just expired (Jul30-Aug5), the last page article that interviews kiwi celebs "The last word with...." interviewed Howie Morrison Jr , Hunting Aotearoa host

The 2nd to last question asked to him was 'What other hobbies do you have?'.... his reply was he loves his fishing and that he'd just formed a Kapa Haka group, The Howard Morrison Jnr Trio. Well this what caught my eye in his answer

"We just performed over in Samoa and fundraised 130,000 tala, which is going back to the Christchurch appeal which is specifically set aside for Maori and Pacific island community"

FFS!

130000 tala = $12.50: don't sweat it.

[Oakie]

Well I'll jump in and take what seems to be the unpopular side of things...as usual

That's fine. You don't get both sides of an argument unless people do that. I respect a well put argument even if I don't agree with it.

The tourist dollar has been a major source of income for ChCh - fuelled by the city's unique in NZ "englishness" IMO if we finish up with a collection of tilt slab boxes you can wave goodbye to a lot of tourists...Some heritage must remain surely.

I've heard that a few times but I don't know how true that is in respect of the buildings themselves. In my 9 years here I've yet to see a tour group wandering around looking at the city's notable buildings. I've just googled 'Tour of Christchurch Buildings' and got no hits although I did get a few on Tours of Christchurch. They covered tours of the sights of Chch or of specific buildings like the Arts Centre but none covered a tour looking at Chch's notable buildings. I'm sure some tourists did go and see the cathedral and perhaps one or two other buildings just to see the building but I would be really surprised if many came here just to look at the buildings. I think it is the whole package of attractions that brings people here with the buildings generally just a part of the background fabric. Check out http://www.christchurch.nz.com/ to see just how Christchurch is advertised to tourists. The neo-gothic architecture rates a mention but apart from naming four admittedly notable buildings, not much more than that.