Developer wanted for Tuam Street Civic offices

The Christchurch City Council is inviting parties to register their interest in developing the Christchurch City Council’s Tuam Street offices, as a first step towards the Council achieving its vision for the City’s central city south precinct

Earlier this year Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker launched the Central City South Master Plan, describing it as a bold, long-term vision that would breathe life back into Central City South.

“We want a vibrant Central City that supports our broader urban development objectives. The Central City South concept is to develop a bustling urban neighbourhood that is a mix of residential and commercial uses, with a network of lanes and greenspaces.”

The Plan covers the development of Council-owned properties on five sites in Tuam Street, Manchester Street and Welles Street.

The starting point is the development of the Tuam Street Civic offices, which the City Council will vacate late next year for the re-developed former New Zealand Post building in Hereford Street.

Scott McCrea, CEO of Bayleys Canterbury, the agents marketing the Civic Offices, says the building provides a fantastic opportunity for redevelopment.

“The building has architectural and historic significance, and the area is ripe for residential, office, and retail development. It’s already well-serviced with supermarkets, cinemas, restaurants, cafes and bars, education providers and a wide range of shopping, and is close to other central city venues,” he said.

Bayleys would be marketing the building nationally and internationally and Mr MCrea says he is optimistic about finding a visionary developer who would support the Council’s aspirations for the area.

“We believe the market is definitely improving. Through our own research in the UK recently we were really encouraged about people keen to come, or come back, to Christchurch who will be working in health and tertiary institutions. These are people who are keen on inner city living. That’s where the market will be for inner city accommodation.”

The site also includes an annex building and the current site of the Tuam St Early Learning Centre, with a total floor area for the buildings of 16,140m² and a total land area of 4,692m².

Registrations of interest open 31 October 2009 and close 12noon 16 December 2009 at the Christchurch City Council Civic Offices, 163-173 Tuam Street, Christchurch. More information is available at www.bayleys.co.nz/57685.

The proposed timetable is, following a selection process, a Request for Proposal process from 29 January to 10 March, followed by a Council decision in April and an agreement signed in June.

The programme of development for the other properties in the Central City South Master Plan spans the next 10 to 15 years.

History of the building

Built in 1938-39 for LB Miller, one of the largest textile and apparel manufacturers in the country at the time, the building comprised five stories with a mezzanine between ground and first floors, a partial basement and a rooftop flat. Well-known Christchurch architect George Hart designed the building and Campbell and Hamann acted as consulting engineers for the project.
The design for Miller’s was considered the height of modern design for its time. The building is an excellent example of the impact of International Style architecture beyond the border of Germany where it was developed by architects such as Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe and is a direct expression of design freedom of the early years of the 20th century.
After the Council bought the building in 1978, a number of changes were made to adapt it to its new use. However, the Council chose to retain the open plan design of the building, and inserted only a few individual offices. The Civic Offices were officially opened by H.R.H. the Duchess of Kent on 12 November 1980.

ENDS

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