CHCH REBUILD | News

[metroman]

I have a strong feeling the adult industry in Christchurch is about to takeoff and the rebuild is going to be a real catilyst for it. It has always been a city with a wide variety of night life, the future looks very promising.

[mathlete]

Originally Posted by Rooty

I liked having all those sex-related shops on our main street.

With a name like 'Rooty' I'm not surprised

[SYDNEY]

Lloyd's insurance could back big Chch projects

Lloyd's insurance syndicates could provide crucial backing for some of the bigger Christchurch earthquake rebuild projects, a London-based insurance broker says. Ropner Insurance Services managing director Alan Rixon said he had been involved in talks surrounding the rebuild of central Christchurch during his fourth trip to the quake-damaged city. As an independent Lloyd's of London insurance broker, he had been approached by a group wanting cover for a central city project. He was working with Christchurch-based loss adjustor and insurance adviser Peter MacLeod to keep in contact with rebuild insurance opportunities. Lloyd's insurance could potentially become involved in the big blueprint projects such as the convention centre or retail precinct, though the pair did not want to be specific on which projects. "We've been asked by an Australian broker to be part of a tendering panel for some large insurance needs [for rebuild projects] . . . So they will be very big numbers," MacLeod said. Rixon and others in the insurance industry would be important for the reconstruction effort. "We're waiting for the big rebuild to start. Alan's services will be required when you're talking $50 million [for a project] in Cathedral Square," MacLeod said. Lloyd's syndicates entered the New Zealand market when they saw opportunities after the earthquakes which ended in traditional insurers pulling back, Rixon said. Given that traditional insurers such as IAG's State and NZI, as well as Vero, were re-entering the market, he was advising Lloyd's syndicates to "probably sharpen their pencils" on insurance for rebuilds ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Christchurch from above: the rebuild

Absolutely shocking when you view it like this ....

[SYDNEY]

Vero ramps up activity in Christchurch

Vero continues to make progress in Christchurch. In September this year Vero was the first insurer to provide customers with scheduled dates for their reinstatements and is currently planning for an increase in rebuilding activity leading into the New Year. Vero has a total of 19,600 commercial and domestic claims of which it has settled almost 50%. A total of $1.76 billion has already been paid out. In addition to work already underway, Vero’s residential customers have been contacted with construction dates that range from a start date within the next six months to 2015. These timeframes are in line with planned building resource capacity and anticipated timeframes to secure the information needed to start construction on projects. If customers do not wish to participate in the Vero reinstatement programme, they can talk to us and explore their options. “This is a commitment Vero made to its customers in August this year and it is an important step in our reinstatement approach to customers. As we work through the reinstatement activity, we intend to have increased conversations with our customers, particularly those impacted in the TC3 areas of Christchurch. “In my experience it is important to understand both the variety and shared complexities our customers face following significant disasters and for us to tailor our response to these complexities. We have therefore identified the need to have specialist teams dedicated to customer groups,” said Jimmy Higgins, Vero Executive General Manager – Earthquake Programme. Since April this year, after DBH released its foundation guidelines for TC3 properties, Vero has been working to these guidelines in designing reinstatement solutions for affected customers ... MORE

[fozzy]

such a sad sight "A city without a heart" Atleast i got a chance to see the old Christchurch back in nov 97. In the future i will return to see a city rising like a pheonix

[SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by fozzy

such a sad sight "A city without a heart" Atleast i got a chance to see the old Christchurch back in nov 97. In the future i will return to see a city rising like a pheonix

Yeah, I was lucky to be there exactly one month prior to the earthquake. I feel very lucky to have seen it at it's best but I strongly feel that the city is going to be even better than before

[SYDNEY]

Victoria Square to reopen

The Christchurch CBD red zone will be reduced tomorrow to allow public access to Victoria Square for the first time since the February 2011 earthquake. Changes to the red zone cordon by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) will enable pedestrians to walk to the revitalised public space between 7am and 9pm daily. No vehicle access will be allowed. Two pedestrian pathways to the square will be made available - one via the Armagh Street bridge (east of the intersection with Durham Street), and the other via Kilmore Street, past the Town Hall. More accessways are likely to be opened up by the end of this month. `I know this is a place people have been missing, and I hope they will take this opportunity to return with their families and friends and enjoy a picnic and a stroll on the grass,’’ says CERA chief executive Roger Sutton. `We are constantly assessing the opportunities to reduce the cordon, but public safety is paramount. People can be confident when they visit Victoria Square that it is being safely managed. Fencing around the site will ensure work can continue without disruption in the red zone.’’ Christchurch City Council (CCC) staff and contractors have worked hard to restore the square after it was extensively damaged by the earthquakes. `We recognise the importance of reopening areas like this where our community has a strong sense of identity and place,’’ said CCC general manager City Environment Group, Jane Parfitt. `While returning to Victoria Square may be tempered by a sense of loss we can all take heart at the collective determination to reopen and revive the central city.” Work done on the square has been mostly on the eastern side. Pavers have been re-laid, asphalt patched and replaced, small retaining walls repaired, new turf laid and irrigation lines repaired and replaced. Work has not taken place in the area surrounding the amphitheatre as decisions are still pending on the Town Hall and other projects. As part of the Statues and Memorial project, assessment is continuing on the Cook and Queen Victoria statues and the Pou. The Floral Clock is also undergoing a programme of assessment. The square is expected to be open from mid-morning tomorrow. The access hours of 7am to 9pm are expected to remain in place until February. The limited hours are in place for security reasons relating to the red zone. Access may be affected at times next year by work carried out on the new Avon River Precinct.

[SYDNEY]

Phew, now that was a job and a half. You will notice that this thread is now a ghost of it's former self (from 16 to 9 pages) I have cleaned it out and created new threads for the projects so that we can keep a record of them and they should be easy to find. Before posting here please look and see if there isn't an existing thread for it so that this thread will only contain general NEWS about the rebuild. You will also notice that there's a PRIVATE and PUBLIC transport thread now Happy posting.

P.S. If you see something amiss in any of the threads that don't belong there let me know and I will have them moved - right now I am seeing triple vision

[Davee]

Woooooow, someone has been really busy! Just the kick up the arse we have needed Princesses Thank you.

[SYDNEY]

Originally Posted by Davee

Woooooow, someone has been really busy! Just the kick up the arse we have needed Princesses Thank you.

No worries hun, it will hopefully inspire more to be part of the CHCH forum. Next year will be the start of CHCH rebirth and it is probably going to be one of the most exciting cities to live in.

[Davee]

I think that is very true - and we still have the threads for some of the major projects to go up soon. For me, it is now time to get over the dispare and look to the future in a real bright and positive way.

My sister told me the other day that she, my brother in law (who is English) and my new nephew are planning on moving back to CHC from the UK to be part of the rebuild and excitement - we are all heading out just after Easter, I hope that we can get a flavour of what is to come and bring back some skills if we can.

Looking forward to snapping zillions of pics :-)

[zilvia]

Anyone know anything about the site on the corner of Victoria and Peterborough Street ? Seems to be alot of development on Victoria Street, always though it was abit like Newmarket Street in Auckland.

[IMG]http://i46.************/2pzcn74.jpg[/IMG]

[nalyd]

This is what you would be after.

[jarden]

Originally Posted by zilvia

Anyone know anything about the site on the corner of Victoria and Peterborough Street ? Seems to be alot of development on Victoria Street, always though it was abit like Newmarket Street in Auckland.

[IMG]http://i46.************/2pzcn74.jpg[/IMG]

Its a nice change to have a crane up building something, than having them up just to tear something down.

[SYDNEY]

Hundreds Of Ideas Entered To Transform Christchurch City

The ultimate gamer’s paradise, a student discount grocery and a giant roller-skating rink are just a few of the more than 300 Big Ideas submitted by Christchurch youth to the Big Idea website and collection points since the campaign launched on Oct 27. The CPIT Foundation wants to hear from youths under 25 about their Big Ideas to transform the south-east corner of the city, with the winning idea receiving $5000. So far, ideas range from just plain fun to contemplative and thought provoking. However, the majority ask for improvements to the social scene of the city, with calls for community arts centres, entertainment zones, theme parks and youth gardens a reoccurring theme. Becca from Ilam suggests an “outdoor laser tag game where the setting is made from recycled parts of the city like fencing and bricks." Nath from Avonhead wants “a permanent stage in the central city, where aspiring musicians can play at any time.” While Laura from St Albans thinks “a massive veggie/fruit patch where schools and volunteers could work on planting apple trees and such so that kids in need could get fresh fruit in their lunches” would be a great idea. Chairman of the CPIT Foundation Carl Pascoe says he’s delighted with the response. “To be honest, it is going to be a difficult task to choose just three ideas to go through to the final. One will win $5000 and the CPIT Foundation will try to make that idea a reality. We want to ensure we select an idea that is achievable and will be a great attribute for the city’s youth. This is a huge responsibility, and one that we are taking very seriously.” ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

Brilliant chance for Christchurch to become a smarter city

A University of Canterbury (UC) researcher says Christchurch has a brilliant opportunity of turning adversity into opportunity with the rebuild by becoming a smart city. UC’s Dr Graeme Woodward has just returned as part of a New Zealand delegation from a tour of the smartest cities in Europe. He said Christchurch should become a living laboratory for smart city technology. `As the city is being rebuilt, we can build in a lot of technology which would be uneconomical to retrofit into existing cities. This is a unique opportunity as buildings are being erected, roads are being dug up for new services, and major new public facilities (such as transit hubs) are being designed and constructed,’’ Dr Woodward said. `A particularly important part of city sustainability is energy production. Trigeneration technology combines electricity generation, heating and cooling. The Christchurch City Council is already using trigeneration powered by biogas from landfill in limited buildings within the city centre. `When digging up our streets we should invest in a thermal network (hot water reticulation), in addition to embracing more extensive use of sustainable energy sources. `Similarly now is the time to invest in water recycling. Half of water consumption within the city of Sydney is for air-conditioning cooling towers. This does not require water of drinking quality standard. `We should also look at other infrastructure such as micro wind generation, solar panels for power generation and efficient LED street lights. We can become a connected society with ubiquitous, high-speed, reliable wireless data connections throughout the central business district ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

CHCH before the quake - stunning !

[SYDNEY]

Crown eyes 104 CBD properties

The Crown is poised to spend tens of millions of dollars by early next year to buy the first tranche of land tagged for central-city anchor projects. Last week, the Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) sent notices to the 47 owners of 104 properties that fall under anchor projects in its blueprint, outlining plans to take the land. The 2007 land valuations for the 104 properties add up to about $75 million, comprising $22m for the site of the new bus interchange in Tuam St and $53m for a section of the northern and eastern frame. The two areas include the sites of the Pyne Gould Corporation building, Centennial Pool, the Orion building, and the former civic offices in Tuam St. They comprise about one-eighth of the properties the Crown plans to acquire. The CCDU will base its settlement offers for the properties on current market valuations, factoring in recent sales, the condition of the land, insurance and location. However, several landowners have voiced concern over the CCDU valuations, saying they are well below their own pricings. If the two sides cannot reach a settlement, the CCDU can compulsorily acquire the land using its own valuation as the basis for compensation, although landowners have the right to appeal. A CCDU spokesman said it was expected the Crown would own all 104 properties "by the early part of next year", but this would be behind the Government's initial timeframe for land acquisition. Prime Minister John Key said at the blueprint's release in July that the Government felt it could "clear . . . up" all the settlements by March 2013. "Negotiations are currently under way with many of these owners and are at varying stages," the CCDU spokesman said. "The Crown expects to acquire over 800 properties and updates on progress will be provided in due course." Commercial property lawyer Catherine Schache urged landowners to avoid compulsory acquisition if possible. "There's . . . doubt about the mechanisms around how you might challenge," she said ... MORE

[SYDNEY]

'Villages' to house rebuild workers

A major international company that runs workers' camps around the world will manage two camps planned for Christchurch. British-based Compass Group employs 500,000 people and runs camps for up to 10,000 workers in remote locations such as Australian gold mines, oil and gas fields in Kazakhstan and Algeria, and construction sites in Qatar and Canada. It has been signed to run and help design two "working men's villages" planned for rebuild workers by JGM, a company owned by North Canterbury property developer Jamie Thomas and a group of local investors. JGM spokesman Sam Fisher said Compass was signed "because we need people who know what they are doing in this area". "They bring quite a lot of international experience - they will look after community life, manage all services, and look after things like security and catering. "It's not about big brother coming in. They have expertise and have been there, done that." The prospect of workers' camps had raised some concerns in Christchurch, especially over issues such as security and access to alcohol. Christchurch property manager Tony Brazier, who had initially agreed to manage the sites as part of a team providing support services, said the decision to opt for experienced camp operators seemed wise. A Compass Group subsidiary provides catering and other services in New Zealand at defence bases, hospitals and educational institutes. In Christchurch the company would help workers build ties with the local community and arrange activities such as sports. Fisher hoped camp construction could be finished by May. Consent applications are before the Christchurch City Council. Locations have not yet been revealed but JGM is interested in sites such as the Turners & Growers block. Businesses such as construction firms hadindicated interest in 300 units but most were unsure when they would need them, Fisher said. The secured camps will consist of pre-fabricated rows of ensuite single rooms around a central amenity hub with lounges, games rooms and outdoor activity areas. One will be named The Cressy Village after one of the first four ships that brought workers to Christchurch in 1850. When the camps close, JGM plans to donate six units to Women's Refuge and four to the Christchurch City Mission.