Monday, February 28, 2011

What is going in that gap: Wintec Carpark (cnr Ward and Angelsea)

A few weeks ago, I posted about a prominent gap in Hamilton, on the corner of Ward and Angelsea streets.

That gap has been vacant for all my years in Excel, but may not remain that way - a new 5 storey contemporary building and piazza, and resource consent has been granted already.

City Gate proposal - cnr Ward and Angelsea streets, Hamilton
I appriciate the above impression of the building - it looks like effort has been put in. Not like the buildings on the surrounding three corners of the intersection. Moreover, the triangular plan allows for vistas of the recently restored remainder of Wintec house (it's ironic that the building was half torn down, and half restored).

This is what the site looks like at present:
Cnr Ward and Angelsea Streets, Hamilton 19 Jan 2011
All going well, construction should start late this year, with completion in late 2012. This would be a good project to show that the Hamilton CBD is still in business, despite the recession and competition from sites outside the CBD.

57% of Christchurch buildings are unsafe

A few days ago, someone in the media said that "Christchurch's CBD has been decimated". If only that where the case. That person didn't know the meaning of the word "decimate". (The word originates from Roman times - if a Legion was getting unruly, it would be decimated, ie, 1 in 10 soldiers killed).

As it turns out, the CBD has been more than decimated. This mornings herald stated that 755 buildings (26%) are red-stickered (ie, they are pretty much guaranteed to be demolished), and a further 909 (31%) where yellow-stickered meaning that access has been restricted and is to the ground floor only - chances are most of these buildings won't make it either...

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Street view and the earthquake...

So, I've gone onto Street View and paired up a few of the dramatic images from the newspapers with "before" images.

Here's the first set of casualties... on the corner of High Street and Lichfield Street. The ANZ Bank chambers are rubble, and no doubt the neighbouring building will be torn down (another sad loss).

Cnr High Street and Lichfield Street, Christchurch
Cnr High Street and Lichfield Street, Christchurch

132 Kilmore Street. - Half the thrifty rentals building has gone. No more deco facade. The Ernst and Young building in the background looks OK though.


132 Kilmore Street, Christchurch
132 Kilmore Street, Christchurch

Thinking of art deco, I was pleased to see this still standing on the corner of Columbo and Gloucester Streets. Why?, you're probably asking ... because that horrid facade hides the old state theatre... hopefully someone might see fit to remove that and bring out the deco goodness that's been hidden for some forty years.

Cnr Columbo and Gloucester Streets, Christchurch
Cnr Columbo and Gloucester Streets, Christchurch
Cnr Columbo and Gloucester Streets, Christchurch (historic State Theatre)

Turning around, the cathedral isn't in the greatest shape either. No doubt it will be rapaired though - it is one of Christchurch's main icons.


Cathedral, Christchurch

Cathedral, Christchurch
Cathedral, Christchurch

Cathedral, Christchurch

Of course, some heritage cannot as easily be reinstated. Consider for example provincial chambers on Durham street, another quintessentially "Christchurch" building. It was damaged in the september quake, but now there's really not a lot left of it...

Provincial Chambers, Durham Street, Christchurch

Provincial Chambers, Durham Street, Christchurch

In normal circumstances, I'd be pretty sure that provincial chambers would be painstakingly rebuilt, stone by stone, but I'm not sure there money will be there to do it. If not, I do hope they at least retain the materials so it can be done (though no doubt they'll go straight to the landfill as part of the "cleanup").

Another icon, which I would really hope could be restored, but I doubt will make the cut is the Press building, just around the corner from the cathedral. I doubt I'll ever see this building again, either.


The Press Building, Press Lane, Christchurch

The Press Building, Press Lane, Christchurch

Directly opposite my first pair of photos, on the corner of Lichfield and Manchester streets, there are yet more ruins to complete the set. It appears as though all the buildings along this part of Manchester street are now just rubble.

Cnr Lichfield and Manchester Streets, Christchurch

Cnr Lichfield and Manchester Streets, Christchurch

On Gloucester street, the destruction continues... I guess this is the end of Winnie Bagos

Gloucester Street, Christchurch

Gloucester Street, Christchurch
If there is one thing I find creepy in any pictures after a natural disaster, it's the spray-paint statuses - thankfully both these cars are "clear". No doubt the buildings behind will soon have "no go" on them - and that is another of my favourite buildings on Manchester Street.

Manchester Street, Christchurch

Manchester Street, Christchurch

We all know CTV has gone... but what about that pile of rubble to the right...

Cnr Madras and Cashel Streets, Chrischurch (including CTV building)

Cnr Madras and Cashel Streets, Chrischurch (including CTV building)

The street view gives a hint... this is the building that, I assume, stood there - the Presbyterian church.

Cnr Madras and Cashel Streets, Chrischurch (the Pressbyterian Church)

There are more of these to post ... but this is enough for one night...

My thought is that Christchurch has lost most of it's heritage buildings. It would be tragic to see the last ones "cleaned up" urgently where they might, in time, be restored instead...

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Howarth Memorial Wetland

Discovered a new place to go for a walk today, and a good one too. The Howarth Memorial Wetland in Te Aroha. The place is brilliant. The sort of place that a seven year old dreams about. There is of course wetland (both bog and river, with ponds), and an incredibly eclectic mix of trees. Not the usual medley of natives, but a mix of indigenous trees, fruit trees and everything else...

The walk will take around 40 minutes (assuming you don't also go for a swim), and can be accessed from Spur street, or alternatively the end of Lawrence Street (just cross the bridge in that case).

Again, with the photos:



Friday, February 25, 2011

Victoria Street Bistro

The Victoria Street Bistro (on Victoria Street) opened today - the old Maître d' and chef from 1ZB run the joint. What did I have? Beef Cheek - or is that cheeky beef?. The menu describe it is as "Slow Braised Beef Cheek with butter whipped potato mash, manuka smoked bacon, mushroom, a pickled pearl onion and jus" - and that is exactly what it is - tasy bacon and beef, on perfect mash (which, if I detect correctly, has truffle oil) and a perfect texture. Attention to detail was mostly there - even a rather snack-worthy valute - tomato and capsicum soup! Overall, very worthwhile 9/10.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Seventies retro goodness in Garden Place

Who remembers the DIC department store in Garden Place? I don't, it's before my time. This is what it looked like in 1975. Big glass windows to let in the light, and an orange and white colour scheme.

DIC Department Store - Garden Place, Hamilton - 1975

In 1993, the building was converted to house Hamilton's public library, and now looks like this. Exactly why the council insists on painting our libraries that abhorid shade of blue, I'm not sure, but the building was brought up to nineties standards pretty well. They've even put a bit of that old orange into the colour scheme!

Hamilton Library - Garden Place, Hamilton - 2010

Edit:

As Robyn mentioned, the ground floor of the DIC building used to host a pizzeria belonging to one Joe Di Maio. A few more photos:

Hamilton Pizzeria, Garden Place, Hamilton
Hamilton Pizzeria, Garden Place, Hamilton
Joe Di Maio - Hamilton Pizzeria
For more on Joe Di Maio, see this article.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Another modern Christchurch building due to fall - Hotel Grand Chancellor

This earthquake in Christchurch is bad news - the cities' skyline will have changed for good, erm, bad.

The news tonight is that the Hotel Grand Chancellor is listing, and could fall any minute. I'm not so sure it will, but it would be a lot easier than demolishing it in a piecemeal manner. The following is a stock photo from last year.

Hotel Grand Chancellor Christchurch - 2010

The hotel, completed in 1986, has 26 levels, and is one of the tallest buildings in the city. Needless to say, it'll be the largest building to come down in New Zealand when it either falls, or is torn down.

The following photo shows the way the building has buckled. It's a lost cause... I just hope it doesn't take too much out with it.

Hotel Grand Chancellor Christchurch - 23 Feb 2011