Council demolisher announced

Tauranga-based firm AP Demolition will be the company in charge of knocking down the former Tauranga City Council administration building. Photo: Andrew Campbell.

Tauranga-based AP Demolition has been contracted to demolish the Tauranga City Council's former administration building on the corner of Willow and Hamilton Streets.

The library carpark will be closed this weekend while preliminary work is carried out, but the knockdown is expected to start next month, says Heart of the City communications advisor Amanda Weatherley.

The site is expected to be cleared by September. The administration building has been vacant since the discovery of a health affecting toxic mould in the building in December 2015.

Following reports and studies it was decided cleaning or renovating the building is not cost effective, with the process of deciding whether or not to demolish the building triggering a wider look at the council precinct and kick starting the Heart of the City project.

Council's safety measures during the demolition include traffic and pedestrian controls in place on Willow Street to minimise the impact on traffic, pedestrians, businesses and services.

The library car park on Hamilton Street will be closed for up to eight weeks during the project. There will be an alternative book drop-off site, access and disabled parking on nearby streets during this time. There is expected to be no impact to the Council Customer Service Centre or the library main entrance.

The 23 new on-street spaces on McLean Street completed last week, and seven new spaces on Durham Street outside the Kingsview will go some way to alleviate the inconvenience of losing the carparks.

The tender requires the contractors provide consideration of deconstruction methods, meaning the salvaging or reuse of elements of the building where possible to minimise the amount of waste to landfill.

AP Demolition's recent projects include the demolition of Whakatane Hospital, Tauranga Hospital's Jacaranda House and Taranaki Base Hospital's Stainton Block.

The council will continue to investigate other temporary parking and access options wherever possible to alleviate any loss of inner city parking as the city moves into a transformational time.

The project is part of the Heart of the City Programme of work, the purpose of which is to work in partnership to create a vibrant, safe and successful city centre.

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12 comments

Thats great....

Posted on 05-05-2017 12:54 | By GreertonBoy

Rather than open some windows or fix/upgrade the air conditioning.... just tear the building down and send the toxic mould to landfill near someone else's property... very thoughtful of you. I sure hope the new building has decent air conditioning, or else that will be built and pulled down again.... I guess it is just so much easier to spend our money instead...


I fail to understand

Posted on 05-05-2017 14:30 | By Fonzie

How a building that houses the experts that regulate everyone elses building ends up having to be demolished after all the money spent on recent additions etc Where is the accountability ? Where is the expertise ? Of course a consultant will recommend the most expensive option Why wouldnt they?


@Greerton boy.

Posted on 05-05-2017 15:29 | By Papamoaner

Excuse the expletive old chap, but what a load of codswallop. Air-conditioning, a modern fad, has only been around for the proverbial five minutes and has got nothing to do with structural durability. Natural mould in the open isn't toxic. And in any event, you are flogging a dead horse.


Incompetent

Posted on 05-05-2017 15:59 | By Really

How can we get government intervention on this incompetent council before they ruin the entire city?


@By Really - your question is easily answered

Posted on 06-05-2017 10:51 | By Papamoaner

See news item posted by Sunlive yesterday entitled "Your chance to be heard by the council"All you have to do is go down there and talk to them face to face and make a submission.It's the second time they have made an invitation in the last two weeks in an attempt to get people to talk to them and express their concerns. Strangely, many seem to prefer to hide under a rock and throw bombs on forums like this instead of having the guts to front up face to face and get answers.


@ Papamoaner

Posted on 06-05-2017 13:28 | By astex

That was not, I believe, the snswer to the question from "Really". The question was about how to get government intervention re the running of the council. I do not know the answer but after the amount of incompetence shown by the TCC over the years I also would be interested in the answer.


@Astex

Posted on 06-05-2017 15:09 | By Papamoaner

OK, I'll concede the thing to argue about here might be the definition of incompetence. To me, it would be a failure to perform core business rather than confined to just one building that a few folk are divided over. But again, it comes down to talking to them (the council) directly, especially since they have publicly invited it. That's about as objective as it gets. It's surely an opportunity to be welcomed by dissenters. If not, can we please hear why not?


That might not satisfy you

Posted on 06-05-2017 18:05 | By Papamoaner

The cold answer to his question is obvious. Gov't cannot interfere in local body operational matters except in a state of emergency. Unless of course parliament legislate a law change. I am surprised the question was asked. Perhaps it was tongue-in-cheek. I am more interested in debating the building than this academic stuff. I believe the decision to demolish was soundly based, so I dispute the "incompetent" accusation in this instance.


i have said this before

Posted on 06-05-2017 19:28 | By old trucker

All being pulled down, because 1 person got sick, Gosh they spent millions a few yrs back putting a new story on top where carpark was and that leaked,(and) not long ago spent a lot of money water blasting all of outside, my gosh this is TERRIBLE and unjust,agree with By GreetonBoy,could have opened windows, and i can remember when they moved out, about 2 weeks later FULL FRONT PAGE,ITS COST $2 MILLION SO FAR,my god, now its built on not good base,and will need better one (base) who signed the last one off,maybe he needs a lesson,thats right,works for TCC, Nothing from the Mayor who is really QUIET ON THIS,(im going to STOP all this Spending and listen to the PUBLIC,(YEAH RIGHT), NO he wont as he is being told what to do by the old school, my thoughts only,its a crying shame all of this,Sunlive Thankyou,10-4 out.


Sorry old Trucker

Posted on 08-05-2017 14:42 | By Papamoaner

But saying it's being pulled down because one person got sick is a gross exaggeration and simplistic.Buildings get demolished for a variety of reasons, often in combination, with structural integrity leading the pack old chap.


Fonzie, your lack of understanding,

Posted on 15-05-2017 08:58 | By R. Bell

is well documented. If you take the time to read the consultants reports, you will understand better. What you will find is that the consultants generally gave both options. Repair or replace. When you have a 50 yr old building with inadequate foundations, etc. the only real option is to replace, because fonzie the cost of repair is the same as replacement. Most people have no difficulty understanding that simple equation. Unless of course, there is another agenda. Robin Bell.


Out of touch with reality, old trucker.

Posted on 15-05-2017 10:29 | By R. Bell

The base as you call it (foundations) was signed off almost 50yrs ago. If you can find the "culprit", by all means give him a lesson. Might be a bit late though. Of course the facts make no difference, when the "agenda " is destroy, destroy, destroy confidence in governance. Robin Bell.


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