Invest Issue 08. June 2013

From the director Strong progress in It was a privilege to attend the US–NZ Pacific Partnership Forum in Washington DC and be part of the delegation that presented Crown CBD purchases to the event on the future of greater Christchurch. We are building brilliance in this city – swiftly, and with expertise drawn from near and far. And it was fruitful for our team to share experiences and, importantly, secure collaborative opportunities at the high-level forum. We returned to a city that continues to recover at a gratifying pace. The is woven into the fabric of this city, so the countdown to its 1 return will be eagerly followed by residents and performers of greater Christchurch The Crown has negotiated agreements to purchase “We’re still working positively with land owners alike. Its reopening – scheduled for this time almost two-thirds of the central Christchurch land area and have a firm commitment from the Crown to next year – will nourish the local arts scene required for the city’s anchor projects. progress the purchase of central business district and give a Christchurch base to key touring Agreements are now in place for 63 per cent of the properties for our priority anchor projects,” he says. companies such as the Royal New Zealand land needed for the Convention Centre Precinct, the “We realise it’s a big step for land owners and Ballet. It will help to restore the much- East Frame, the , the Justice and we’re trying to enter commercial negotiations with needed normality that Mike Esposito Emergency Services Precinct and the Metro Sports them in a respectful and fair manner.” describes in his personal reflections on Facility. Hereford Holdings Operations Manager Anna Across the wider portfolio of rebuild projects, Liddell says the -owned company page two. agreements are in place for almost 44 per cent of the decided early on to be proactive in the purchase process. Staying with the arts, we are also looking land required. The total agreed purchase price stands at “We went into it with a positive attitude: ‘This is to the reopening of the registry building $231.6 million. inevitable. Let’s aim for a win-win here’.” within the Arts Centre. The search The Crown is buying the properties to allow for Hereford Holdings met with CERA officials to for expertise to help develop the construction of the anchor projects outlined in the understand the purchase process. When they started Art Trail along Te Papa Ōtākaro/ Christchurch Central Recovery Plan. Minister for negotiating, both parties had valuations which ended Avon River Precinct is Canterbury Earthquake Recovery says up being exactly the same in one instance, and very underway as well. the projects will revitalise the central city. close in another. Mrs Liddell says the process was The Draft Land Use “To build these new projects we first need to “very straightforward”. Recovery Plan will be open purchase the necessary land, complete any demolitions The sale price agreed for each property reflects soon for written comments. that are required, and then do the physical building. specific property features such as location, geological On the back page, there’s “We are already seeing this building work take conditions, state of any buildings, the value to the an update about the draft place on the early stages of Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River purchaser of any reports and consents obtained by the Draft Land Use Recovery Precinct.” seller, environmental conditions, insurance and any Plan. This looks at where we’re Minister Brownlee says the Crown’s approach is to tenancies. going to live, work and play in create “willing-buyer, willing-seller” scenarios. Two For public details of sales completed by late May, greater Christchurch. Keep an independent valuers provide advice to the Crown in the visit: http://bit.ly/18YYAth negotiations. eye on this! 1 When several properties owned by Antony Gough were Warwick Isaacs Christchurch Central Development Unit Director purchased by CERA for priority projects, Antony was able to pool resources for his Hereford Holdings development ‘The Director Warwick Isaacs says, to date, the Crown has not had to Terrace’ (sketched here), which is in the initial phases of the use its powers of compulsory acquisition. consenting process.

Timeline – 2013

May June July • Art Trail Curator RFP released • Avon River Precinct ‘Watermark’ site completed • A von River Precinct ‘Watermark’ feedback • Health Precinct Master Plan draft completed • Health Precinct stakeholder engagement phase one campaign commences • Stage 2 residential demonstration project commences • Anniversary of the release of the Blueprint “Breathe” starts • Bus Interchange detailed brief and business case • Metr o Sports Facility detailed brief and business underway case underway • Innovation Precinct spatial framework complete More than $1 billion worth of commercial building consents have been issued for construction in greater What the rebuild means to me Christchurch since the start of 2012. Welcome Aboard Managing Director Michael Esposito This total does not include the significant amount of demolition activity, particularly in the central city, which The initial focus of the rebuild is on restoring normality. That means quickly repairing homes and does not require building consent. re-establishing businesses so people can get back on their feet. People talk about the business opportunities – sure, but first we need to restore normality. The second phase is growth and improvement. Inland Revenue (IRD) has returned to Will the rebuild result in a better city? One would central Christchurch after two years think so – but it is a shame that we have lost so many in temporary accommodation heritage buildings as they gave the city character. It is throughout the city. The site was very hard to accept change, but change is normally for blessed on 2 May, and an official the better. There were flaws in the old city – The opening was planned for mid-June. Square never really worked and retail was focused on The new Mid City office on Colombo suburban shopping malls. Street will house 200 of IRD’s 650 staff Just as the city now has a chance to change and in Christchurch. The remaining staff improve, at Welcome Aboard we can see that moved into new premises on Russley previously we were probably pretty staid in our Road and Moorhouse Avenue last year. products and the earthquakes have provided a chance to innovate and improve our business. We completely renovated the Gondola before it reopened earlier this year, and the trams will hopefully open before the year is out. We may look at extending the tram-track to Do you have photographs or artist’s connect with the Re:START mall. And we’re talking to impressions of new private commercial Canterbury University about installing interactive builds? CERA is creating a library of screens. As the tram passes each city block, the screens images to publicise the rebuild and will show passengers images of the area before the would love to have as many new builds quakes and – more importantly – the vision for the represented as possible. Please contact future. It is the re-introduction of some familiar things, CERA Production Coordinator Josie together with some things that are new, that will give Meachen on 021 643 013 if you wish to the people of greater Christchurch a sense of belief Welcome Aboard’s Punting on the Avon was one of the earliest attractions to restart following add images of your project to the library. and pride moving forward. the devastating Canterbury earthquakes.

Registry first Arts Centre building to reopen

The first building to the site has been held in trust. Mr Lovatt says be fully restored will reopen next month. the distinguished New Zealanders who “walked The one-time Canterbury University registry this turf” include physicist and chemist Ernest has a confirmed first-floor tenant and will soon Rutherford and painter Rita Angus. Today, the advertise for a ground-floor tenant. site has Category 1 heritage listing from the The stand-alone 300sqm building on the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. north-east corner of the Arts Centre block will Mr Lovatt, raised in Christchurch, is an reopen on 15 July. Chief Executive André Lovatt engineer who built a career around design and says it’s “thrilling” to be slowly reactivating the management of major, iconic buildings such as heart of the city’s former arts and culture Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort precinct. and the Singapore School of the Arts. He and his “It’s going to be massive. The community wife lived in Singapore for a decade, but returned is looking for tangible signs of progress. This is a to Christchurch after the quakes to help rebuild nice, tangible step forward.” their hometown. The restoration of 22 Arts Centre buildings Mr Lovatt says the Arts Centre team will take seven years and an estimated numbers 22 but with contractors there can be up $290 million. The Arts Centre was constructed, to 100 people on site on any given day. The pace from 1877, in Gothic Revival style. The site was of work is furious. In August, the Arts Centre André Lovat, Chief Executive home to Canterbury College, then Canterbury will welcome its first crowds in more than two University, and was also an early home for the years for the 2013 Christchurch Arts Festival. city’s single-sex secondary schools. Since 1978

2 | Invest Christchurch Isaac Theatre Royal construction in full view

Reconstruction of the Isaac Theatre Royal has now progressed above street level, one year out from the facility’s scheduled reopening. The $36 million project is one of the city’s more intricate and expensive rebuild projects. Thanks to structural strengthening completed in 2000, it has been possible to restore the heritage facade of the building, which dates back 105 years to the Edwardian era. This work also enabled the retrieval of key heritage items – such as a marble staircase, painted canvas ceiling dome, and all the original lead light windows and frames – from the 1908 auditorium and the 1928 foyer before the two grand rooms were demolished. The Back of House, 1 2 at the rear of the building, was only opened in 2005 so it emerged relatively unscathed from the operational and permanent fixture of the “This is a very complex reconstruction and to get quakes and has been retained. Performing Arts Precinct. the building back to where it was, we need CERA Commercial Manager Steve Clarke says Isaac Theatre Royal Chief Executive Neil Cox everything to go according to plan. With that in the process of knitting old with new necessitates says the opening will reveal New Zealand’s safest mind, the moral support, encouragement and specialised reconstruction skills. Last month, work and strongest performance venue, with world-class goodwill we are getting from the community are on the building passed the foundation phase and technical and design enhancements, and all the really appreciated.” the action reached street level. The public will now original style and finesse of “our Grand Old Lady”. see swift progress towards the June 2014 opening, “People are saying they can’t wait to get back 1 The proposed new façade of the Isaac Theatre Royal Mr Clarke says. The theatre will be the first open, there, which is so wonderful to hear,” Mr Cox says. 2 Building is well underway behind the façade

Next stop for Bus Interchange

The detailed design brief and business case for Christchurch’s new Bus Interchange could be complete by the middle of August. CCDU Project Director John O‘Hagan says consultants appointed in mid-June will develop the design brief and business case, and recommend procurement options for the delivery of the 1 anchor project. Construction could begin as early as March 2014. Art Trail visions sought Art curators have the opportunity to create a striking vision for an art trail through Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct. Tenders were called for in early May. From the submissions, a team will be selected to work with the greater Christchurch arts community to bring the Art Trail to life. Project Director Rob Kerr says the trail will draw national and international art tourists to Canterbury and nourish the creative soul of the city. “People travel a long way to see great art and we want Christchurch to be an international art destination.” He hopes for a trail that boasts Ngāi Tahu, Pasifika and international influences as well as expressing the unique cultural identity of greater Christchurch. The project team will need to offer a blend of skills, but a connection to the greater Christchurch arts community will be fundamental. Mr Kerr says his team is not discounting any particular approach to the project. While he hopes tenders will offer a variety of visions, he says there is a determination to ensure that whatever form the Art Trail takes, it will be a “sustainable, living” entity with lasting appeal.

1 An artist’s impression of what Te Papa Ōtākaro/Avon River Precinct might look like

Issue 08. June 2013 | 3 Future of Christchurch discussed at high-level US–NZ forum

Senior American business and civic leaders American Friends of Christchurch, which has raised joined a session on the future of greater over $5 million for the recovery. Christchurch at this year’s US–NZ Pacific This year’s forum – the fifth in the Partnership Forum in Washington DC. organisation’s seven-year history – included a panel Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce session on the future of greater Christchurch. Chief Executive Peter Townsend travelled to the “Those attending were very interested in the Washington DC forum in May, alongside other scale of the rebuild and how we intended to take Canterbury community leaders such as Christchurch forward,” Mr Townsend says. “There Christchurch Central Development Unit Director was also significant discussion at the breakouts and Presentation panelists on the future of Christchurch - Tracey Warwick Isaacs and Canterbury University social functions which led to several direct Chambers NZ US Council, Warwick Isaacs, CERA, Dr Rod Carr, Vice-Chancellor Rod Carr. expressions of ongoing interest.” University of Canterbury, Peter Townsend, Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, Roger Dennis, Sensing Cities, Amy Mr Townsend says there was a lot of interest, The 2013 Forum focused on business and McDonald, Thornton Tomasetti and Lisa Abuaf via Skype on throughout the forum, in the greater Christchurch public policy in the Asia–Pacific region and screen, Portland Development Commission experience and rebuild. It was an interest amplified considered the region’s future. High-level speakers by the organisation’s direct association with the included US Deputy Secretary of State William earthquakes. Burns, New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister The fourth forum had begun in Christchurch in Murray McCully, New Zealand Trade Minister late February 2011. The 22 February quake brought Tim Groser and former World Bank President It was also an excellent opportunity the second day of the event to a premature close. Robert Zoellick. to update New Zealanders – in While there were cuts, bruises and some close “The real value for Christchurch and Washington and in the touring party escapes, delegates were not seriously injured and all Christchurch businesses is in keeping our American were successfully evacuated from Christchurch that friends well informed of progress post-earthquake,” – on where we are at and where we day. A number of those delegates contributed to the Mr Townsend says. are heading.

169 major commercial projects Written comments on draft underway across city LURP open soon

The total value of work for major commercial building consents issued in The draft Land Use Recovery Plan (LURP) will soon be released for the city (that is, projects worth more than $1 million each) has reached written comments. $611.5 million over the past 61 weeks. The figures include 169 projects The LURP will guide land use decisions as we rebuild and establish that have been granted building consent. Forty-two of the projects are new houses, businesses and community facilities to ensure greater within the four avenues, with a collective build value of $185 million. Christchurch gets the recovery it needs and deserves. For more information about the building and resource consent process in When it’s published later this year, the LURP will provide certainty for Christchurch city, visit www.ccc.govt.nz/goahead. councils, developers, investors, relocating house owners, business owners, and residents about how greater Christchurch will redevelop and grow. Keep an eye on the CERA website www.cera.govt.nz so you can have your say.

Key contacts

Building and Housing Group, 0800 242 243 www.dbh.govt.nz Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment Canterbury Development Corporation (CDC) 03 379 5575 [email protected] Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce 0800 505 097 www.cecc.org.nz CERA 0800 RING CERA (0800 7464 2372) www.cera.govt.nz Christchurch City Council 03 941 8999 www.ccc.govt.nz Environment Canterbury 03 353 9007 www.ecan.govt.nz EQC 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) www.eqc.govt.nz Invest Christchurch service 03 352 0636 [email protected] Rebuild Central 03 941 8999 [email protected] Rebuild Christchurch 0800 50 50 96 www.rebuildchristchurch.co.nz Council 03 347 2800 www.selwyn.govt.nz Council 03 311 8900 www.waimakariri.govt.nz

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4 | Issue 08. June 2013