Christchurch – there’s just so many things I want to write about down there, and sadly, not really that much going on up here. The Government announced yesterday that three suppliers of temporary portable housing have been named:
“Three kiwi-based companies were selected to provide the temporary accommodation. A consortium of Hawkins/Spanbild/Fulton Hogan; Jennian Homes; and New Zealand Transportable Units were the chosen providers out of 226 submissions to the Department of Building and Housing. The portable homes will be available for up to two years and local Councils and Civil Defence have chosen many sites for the temporary villages, including Linwood Park, Rawhiti Domain and a site yet to be confirmed in Burwood.
The temporary dwellings can be used on private sections if residents can meet certain criteria. The land and access to the section must be suitable, the placement must be for a minimum of six months and the homeowner would need to meet some installation costs. The homes will be of varying sizes and configurations. Some will be fully self-contained units sleeping six people, while othes would be sleep-out laundry or bathroom units that could be placed on private sections.”
Pictured here: NZ Transportable. Yep, its transportable all right! No other comment that I could possibly make…
Spanbild are the holding company for such low-quality brands as Total Span, Versatile Garages etc – some pretty basic housing going on there as well, and their association with contractor Fulton Hogan (don’t they just do roading contracts?) seems to indicate that cheap and basic were the over-riding priorities. By comparison, Jennian Homes look positively sophisticated.
The Press has also announced that a list of 215 buildings to be demolished has been drawn up. Some action at last. When are we going to face up to the reality of the similar situation in Wellington?
BUILDING TREATMENT STATUS REPORT
Signed Off by / Controller or Director of Operations
Dated 8/04/2011
Number Street Type Building/Business Name Request Type Heritage
32 Armagh Street Christ’s College – Cranmer Centre (ex-ChCh Girls School) Demolish Heritage
192 Barbadoes Street Henry’s Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
272 Barbadoes Street Frauenreisehouse Women’s Hospital Demolish Non-Heritage
333 Barbadoes Street Demolish Non-Heritage
266 Cashel Street Tint A Car Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
341 Cashel Street Food Without the Attitude Demolish Non-Heritage
425 Cashel Street David Book Exchange Demolish Non-Heritage
60 Celia Street Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
90 Chester Street Demolish Heritage
92 Chester Street Demolish Heritage
96 Chester Street Demolish Heritage
340 Colombo Street Blue Jean Cuisine Make Safe Heritage
386 Colombo Street Antiques and Collectables Demolish Heritage
388 Colombo Street Sydenham Book Exchange Demolish Heritage
390 Colombo Street Triton Dairy Demolish Heritage
392 Colombo Street Image Photo & Frame Demolish Heritage
394 Colombo Street Image Photo & Frame Demolish Heritage
439 Colombo Street Demolish Non-Heritage
455 Colombo Street Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
457 Colombo Street Vacuum Cleaner Repairs Make Safe Non-Heritage
468 Colombo Street Supreme Wrap and Write Ltd Demolish Non-Heritage
480 Colombo Street Rob Roys Scottish Bar Demolish Non-Heritage
482 Colombo Street Demolish Non-Heritage
490 Colombo Street Metro Imports Demolish Non-Heritage
494 Colombo Street Kashmir Building Demolish Non-Heritage
500 Colombo Street Obelisk Make Safe Non-Heritage
588 Colombo Street Copper Chime / Joyful Restaurant Demolish Non-Heritage
590 Colombo Street Joyful Restaurant & adjacent Bakery Demolish Non-Heritage
643 Colombo Street High Country Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
772 Colombo Street Winnie Bagoes Demolish Heritage
783 Colombo Street Metro Café Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
789 Colombo Street The Orange Tree, Footprints Organic Café Demolish Non-Heritage
805 Colombo Street Kim’s Restaurant Demolish Non-Heritage
809 Colombo Street Studio Works Demolish Non-Heritage
814 Colombo Street Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
866 Colombo Street Rose Chapel former St Marys Convent Make Safe Heritage
1/492 Colombo Street Demolish Non-Heritage
1/492 Colombo Street Demolish Non-Heritage
2/492 Colombo Street Demolish Non-Heritage
2/492 Colombo Street Demolish Non-Heritage
461-469 Colombo Street Storage Sheds Demolish Heritage
558A Colombo Street MJ One Hair & Beauty, Starfish Swimwear Demolish Non-Heritage
803a Colombo Street The Painted Room Demolish Non-Heritage
804-806 Colombo Street Demolish Non-Heritage
817A Colombo Street Lyme Bar Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
31 Dundas Street Wraggs Demolish Heritage
12 Eaton Place Demolish Non-Heritage
243 Ferry Road Dairy Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
245 Ferry Road Book Exchange/ Food Bar Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
43 / 45 Fitzgerald Avenue Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
174 Gloucester Street Tulsi Demolish Non-Heritage
194 Gloucester Street Wave House (Old Winnie Bagoes) Demolish Heritage
241 Gloucester Street Stonehurst Backpackers Demolish Non-Heritage
699 Gloucester Street Top Stitch Boutique and Alterations (697 – 699 Gloucester Street) Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
701 Gloucester Street T Bakery Demolish Non-Heritage
703-709 Gloucester Street Demolish Non-Heritage
13 Gwynfa Avenue Demolish Non-Heritage
203 Hereford Street Avonmore House / Interiors House Demolish Heritage
262 Hereford Street Flower Whisper Dairy Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
357 Hereford Street Kiwi House Hotel Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
190-192 Hereford Street Kenton Chambers Demolish Heritage
174 High Street Embassy Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
176 High Street Embassy Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
259 Kilmore Street Demolish Non-Heritage
162 Lichfield Street Wilburn Furniture; Opinions Market Research Demolish Non-Heritage
203 Lichfield Street Roger Wright Centre Demolish Non-Heritage
214 Lichfield Street Frank Miller & Co. Ltd Demolish Non-Heritage
288B Lincoln Road Interior Flair Demolish Non-Heritage
38 London Street Lyttleton Fisheries, Fish and Chip Shop Demolish Non-Heritage
163 Madras Street Spirit Talk Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
169 Madras Street Central City Tyres Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
192 Madras Street Nurse Maude Building Demolish Heritage
204 Madras Street Florian Building Demolish Non-Heritage
268 Madras Street Charlies Backpackers Demolish Heritage
281 Madras Street Community Law Canterbury Make Safe Non-Heritage
329 Madras Street Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
338 Madras Street Demolish Non-Heritage
340 Madras Street Hillary Smith Demolish Non-Heritage
188 Main Road Foodstuffs- Redcliffs Demolish Non-Heritage
25 Manchester Street The Print Shop Demolish Heritage
27 Manchester Street RT Cycle Trading Make Safe Heritage
282 Manchester Street Demolish Non-Heritage
323 Manchester Street Warehouse Demolish Non-Heritage
113-117 Manchester Street Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
225a-227 Manchester Street Demolish Non-Heritage
420-422 Montreal Street Demolish Non-Heritage
18 Norwich Quay Thomas Building/Dual Demolish Heritage
24 Norwich Quay Lyttelton Hotel Demolish Non-Heritage
54 Norwich Quay Car Park Demolish Non-Heritage
5 Overdale Drive Rhodes Memorial Hospital Demolish Heritage
19 Oxford Street Maritime Union of NZ Ltd Partial Demolish Heritage
1/7 Peacock Street Demolish Non-Heritage
2/7 Peacock Street Demolish Non-Heritage
3/7 Peacock Street Demolish Non-Heritage
4/7 Peacock Street Demolish Non-Heritage
18 Peterborough Street Demolish Non-Heritage
112 Peterborough Street Sugar Hair & Beauty Demolish Non-Heritage
114 Peterborough Street LSI & Strawberry Fare Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
50 Salisbury Street Demolish Non-Heritage
299 Selwyn Street Demolish Non-Heritage
304 Selwyn Street Block of Shops Demolish Non-Heritage
19 Soleares Avenue Demolish Non-Heritage
190 St Asaph Street Croft Print Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
222 St Asaph Street HIREACE Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
293 St Asaph Street Demolish Non-Heritage
315 St Asaph Street Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
89 Stanmore Road Chalet Hair Fashions Demolish Non-Heritage
93 Stanmore Road Demolish Non-Heritage
95A Stanmore Road Stanmore Road Dairy Demolish Non-Heritage
35 Te Awakura Terrace Mt Pleasant Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
238 Tuam Street McKenzie Willis Make Safe Heritage
262 Tuam Street NZ New Cars Demolish Non-Heritage
87 Victoria Street Argosy House Demolish Non-Heritage
95 Victoria Street Jubilee Clock Tower Make Safe Heritage
165 Victoria Street Procope Coffee House Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
36 Welles Street Property Ventures Partial Demolish Non-Heritage
40 Welles Street Charlies Massage Demolish Non-Heritage
92 Wilsons Road New World St Martins Demolish Non-Heritage
387 Worcester Street Demolish Non-Heritage
389 Worcester Street Wicks Fish Supply Demolish Non-Heritage
391 Worcester Street Demolish Non-Heritage
395 Worcester Street Marcels Picnic Demolish Non-Heritage
393A Worcester Street Chemist Shop Demolish Non-Heritage
On a note that is related ever so slightly, but in ever so many ways, there’s a story in today’s paper about the use of a double-decker bus as a brothel. While apparently Queenstown council is seeking to ban it from operating, despite the legal nature of brothels and hookers, it could well be the answer for Christchurch.
Think about it for a sec. It answers the issue of folk not wanting a brothel next door – while making a 20 second stop to pick up new passengers could provide a new and efficient service, so to speak. And bring an interesting new dimension to traveling along Canterbury’s broken / well-rutted roads. The service would be discrete, and unlike ordinary buses, you wouldn’t have the issue of nothing for half an hour and then 3 all come at once. Popping out to the pub ‘for a quick one’ may have a new meaning. Riding on the top deck and meeting friendly locals could do wonders for lonely tourists and language students.
And who knows, maybe it would encourage more people to take the bus….
Not-pc pointedly begins a similarly themed post thus: “Ten days after the devastating 8.0 earthquake in Sichuan, China, nearly one million temporary houses had been built for quake victims”
On the one hand it would be great if the Chch demountable temporary housing were of high quality ‘design’, which could be recycled into something productive (i.e. social housing rather than prison accomodation), but methinks the demand is for temporary housing of any form at all right now. I could be wrong – it would be interesting to hear from some of those affected on this topic though…
Great find m-d – thanks for that. It took me a while to trawl through non-PC’s rabbitings before i found the links, so for those that want to speed things up, here are the Chinese houses already under construction, courtesy of photoblogger Ryan Pyle:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanjpyle/4112993272/in/photostream
and here is the link to the Japanese, also already well underway, with 36 delivered complete with fridge, washing machine, etc, and another 50 times that amount underway.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOJRPR4mIFg&feature=player_embedded#at=66
while accepting that chch and nz simply do not match either japan or china in scale, and so probably cant respond with the same speed, nor will those solutions be acceptable here, but i find it incredulous that nimbyism and the right to walk a pet (as much as i like four legged friends) gets more traction in our society than giving hope to those that are left without safe accomodation, and while ghettos they may become, it is within the power of the occupants and the local community to prevent this by the attitudes they form and propogate. These ‘refugees’ previously lived in a suburb not so far away.