The demolition of CAB is an important first milestone in Wellington City Council’s redevelopment of CAB and adjacent Municipal Office Building (MOB) sites. The combined CAB/MOB redevelopment is another major part of the reactivation of Te Ngākau precinct as the heart of the city.
CAB has been scheduled to be demolished since it was established damage caused in the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake meant it could not be repaired.
Late last year Councillors voted for the demolition to happen sooner than planned, so the site can be redeveloped on a similar timeline to the Town Hall and Te Matapihi.
Following the installation of hoardings, the building's interior will be stripped. From June to December the main demolition work will start, with the site expected to be clear by February 2025 to allow for new development in the area.
Through the procurement process, the Council picked the fastest option for the demolition to minimise disruption, and contractors will recycle as much of the building as possible.
The Council has let residents and businesses in the area know about the upcoming demolition and will keep them regularly updated on progress.
Local businesses which may be affected by the works can access support through WellingtonNZ’s Business Support Service.
During some of the structural demolition (June – September) Wakefield Street will close to private vehicles. From September to December, one lane of Wakefield Street, the northwest, heading towards Victoria Street, will re-open. The street will be completely open to traffic again in December.
The pedestrian entrance to Te Ngākau on Victoria Street will also close between June and February 2025 for health and safety reasons.
The Council is also underway with preparation of a Te Ngākau Precinct Development Plan, a master plan for the area, which will bring together work on Te Matapihi Central Library, Town Hall, CAB/MOB and all other spaces in the precinct. A draft of the plan is due in June.
The tikanga practice of ‘Whakamoe’ – laying taonga Māori to rest – is planned around the removal of Johnson Witehira’s 80-metre long and 9-metre-high vinyl mural Ngā Kakano that has been on the hoardings around CAB since 2017.