When CERA runs out of buildings to demolish in Christchurch, maybe they might like to start on this lot???
Leaning tower of Pisa. (OMG its leaning, quick demolish it)
Stonehenge- Not tied back???? insecure masonry! demolish it.
French Castle- unreinforced masonry- Demolish it.
Roman Ruins- Unstable- demolish them.
Christchurch Cathedral- 60% still standing? No money? No concept of Heritage? demolish it.
And so it goes on.
Well its been an interesting few weeks. A short summary.
Work is supposed to re start on the building on the 23rd of April. I have an inkling this might be a Tui moment! “yeah right”. The Billens building in the street looks increasingly dangerous and I believe CERA have rejected the “make safe” plan. I can not believe they are even contemplating trying to save it.
Our new machinery in the garage is working nicely and we have begun to remake some stock line.
I had a meeting with Denis O’Rouke from New Zealand First with a few other building owners, I was surprised at how little he knew about the situation in the CBD Red Zone. Say no more, I wait with interest.
We found out that we have had low life looters drifting through the top of our building, they have looted most of the remaining stock from the shop next door and broken windows in the Video shop. This is within the “Safety of the Red Zone fence”- another Tui moment I am afraid. There appears to be no great concern from “the powers that be” when I spoke to them.
Gerry Brownlee tells us this morning in the Press that there is no rental crisis in Chch, it’s not a crisis its a major disaster. I can not believe that he has no comprehension of what is happening here. The insistence of Fletcher’s that everyone relocate when repairs are made to houses is only making the situation worse. It is also partly caused by the lack of repairs of the Housing New Zealand stock, the premature demolition of many Red Zone houses and the low-income of most people. (Many workers are now on minimum wages, as companies struggle to recover).
My new house plans have reached draft stage, I am dreading trying to find a rental to live in, all my enquiries have so far indicated that I have a major problem looming. (contrary to Gerry’s assurances.)
Stay safe!
Red zone land grab….The second biggest land grab in New Zealand history…. Prime River frontage, from the city to the sea. And all you get paid is a 2007 Government Valuation. How come Fendalton River frontage has not been confiscated, just the poorer suburbs, again. ????
My Mother’s, hardly damaged, beautiful riverside Villa, taken for payment of “beads and blankets”. The second house that has been confiscated from her family in her lifetime. The first being by the Germans in Amsterdam in 1941. And she has not forgotten or forgiven….
Summary of our Insurance troubles:
1. NZI- “Reinstatement” means they pay only HALF the costs of repairing party walls. That means half a wall???? humm interesting.
2.NZI- Means they deduct $100,000 for a non-existent EQC Claim, as they maintain our upstairs is residential. ( Not for the last 12 years as far as I can find records for)
3. NZI- means it can take over 3 months before they refund you for contractors bills.
4. NZI – We are on Assessor number 6 ????? I can not remember for sure, so far number 5 was the only one that was helpful- Number 6 I am withholding judgement…..
5. Policy says we have 4 claims, they say we have 1 because we did not fix the building after each claim, the fact that we were locked out appears to be irrelevant.
6. Deny, Delay, Defend is their policy. Deny liability, Delay payments and Defend ie litigate. Obstruction of the worst kind.
Insurance hassles at the moment are on going…….
Heard an interesting comment today from one of the largest property owners in the CBD, he maintains that CERA and Roger Sutton have not understood that the owners of empty sections in the CBD will not sell the sections or rebuild on them for many years. The property owners are mainly long-term investors, who have already taken a bath on their properties, many have only received indemnity payments when their buildings were bulldozed by CERA. Why would they want to sell the sections and take a further loss at this time?. It is better to sit and wait. This will not sit well with the so-called rebuild plan. There are already signs that this is happening as Wilsons car parking is popping up all over the CBD. I notice that car parking in town is $2.50 A DAY! Auckland eat your heart out…. lol mind you there is no CBD or town left so not much future in car parking either! Humm not what they thought would happen, if they thought at all which is debatable.
I also heard a comment from a fellow building owner who was talking to the National Party member of Parliament Nicky Wagner in CHCH Central, who maintains that the Engineers in CHCH are Punch drunk, overworked and freaking out. That is obvious by the level of destruction that has been wrought here. Pity it has taken them this long to figure it out!!! dur…
Talking about the National party, I see that “Gerry” has put his foot in his mouth AGAIN and you must remember that much of the responsibility for the destruction in Christchurch can be attributed to his “old dungers” comment and his stupidity. (He was just a woodwork teacher and not a good one according to the message boards). I see that the media have published a very flattering picture of him. Your time is coming… bye-bye Gerry you are becoming an embarrassment with your ongoing silly comments! Your lack of European knowledge is obvious and an embarrassment to this country. Bad enough that you have destroyed Christchurch, try not to make us the laughing-stock of the world, whoops too late.
where’s my pie..
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6644473/Finns-lampoon-Brownlees-eating-habits
http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/13264975/brownlees-
comments-upset-finland/
CERA do you not think that 13 months is too long to wait before being told whether you are going to demo our building or not? Are we going to remain as a block? Are you going to take out sections of the Duncan’s Building? Are you going to demo us? Why let us continue repairs if you are going to pull us down? Anyone have any answers????? What an Interesting way to run a so-called “Recovery”. They have not got a clue yet about what they have done. Keep us in the dark like mushrooms!
The frustration levels are getting out of control. ( Which is why they are making a residential red/orange zone announcement today, notice how they always do it on friday???)
By the way I believe that NZ First is moving into the building behind us in St Asaph Street, ha ha, has anyone informed them that they are in the red zone? You will need hard hats and fluros, boots, welcome to our world. Bet they get an exemption.
I am sure you will find that there is an outbreak of graffiti on OUR walls. lol
and on it goes…. Well what an interesting day. Non productive, but interesting. It starts with a lawyers meeting to discuss our ongoing problems with Insurance. The “minor matter” of IAG dividing all the bills in half if it relates to the party walls (The joint structural walls that separate the Duncan’s buildings.) The idea of reinstatement has eluded IAG. I am wondering how half a wall covers reinstatement?? The other trick that IAG is using is to deduct $100,000 from our final insurance payout, they did this by saying that our upstairs was a residential flat, therefore subject to a EQC payout. This is patently false. So this matter is off to an Insurance specialist.
To add to our misery today, is the growing rumor that CERA is going to pull the Duncan’s Building down. This has not been helped by the inaction of many of the building owners in the street. Even we are finding it impossible to get the repairs needed done. I think that I need to throw my toys out of the cot again. (great…. that means ringing the Engineer, builder, steel fabricator etc…) (ETA steel- 23rd April- 4 months of no progress) mind you why bother if they are going to pull us down, it would help if someone would confirm the status of the building. CERA….???????? no communication as usual. They have made repairs too hard to do and there is a definite preference to pull down.
The other interesting thing today was the Heritage meeting at the earthquake strengthened Cashmere Presbyterian Church Hall. Incidentally this is the Church CERA wanted to pull down as badly damaged. It was apparently fixed with 2 bolts and at minimal cost, it looks amazing.
Over 200 people were there, with Engineers, Architects, building owners and heritage advocates. There is mounting anger at CERA”s behaviour. There is a growing awareness that CERA has gone too far in its destruction of the CBD, also the knowledge that CERA is dysfunctional as there is growing disagreement within CERA that they have got it wrong. They have still failed to understand that these building are cheaper to fix and strengthen than pull down. There is also an awareness in CERA that the demolitions have got out of control and that they do not know how to stop them or save face. The demolition companies are in control. Why would the demolition companies want this to stop?
The talk by Michael King, from Miyamoto Cardno, Engineers, was interesting. He talked about the cost of repairing the Cathedral in the square. Basically saying that repairs are cheaper than a rebuild. Sound familiar? Resentment is growing, within the business community about the way that they have been treated, the impossibility of doing repairs and the nightmare of dealing with CERA.
Interesting that this morning the CHCH Press has failed, yet again, to report on this well attended meeting. The National programme has already reported on it this morning in depth.
