Wellington City Council pulls paper proposing 2026 reopening date for central library

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

Wellington City councillors have requested officers reconsider a proposed 2026 reopening date for the Central Library. (File photo)

An experienced structural engineer says it is “not conceivable” the cost of strengthening Wellington’s central library can be higher than constructing a new building.

The central city facility has been closed since March last year after it was deemed earthquake-prone, and the cost of strengthening it could be up to $200 million.

Adam Thornton, who has 45 years’ engineering experience, said the cost estimates released by the city council on Friday were hard to comprehend.

“It is not conceivable that the cost of a retrofit should be more than a new building,” Thornton told councillors at a meeting on Wednesday.

* One year since Wellington's library closed, there's no decision on its future

* Wellington property owners face massive rates hike amid looming economic downturn

Christchurch Libraries fingertip unit team leader Shanelle Temaru-Ilalio speaks about a new service launched during lockdown called Librarian in your Lounge.

The council paper listing the various strengthening options was based on several reports councillors had reportedly yet to lay eyes on.

They are an updated engineers’ report, a quantity surveyors’ cost estimate report, and a building services assessment.

The lack of information led to Mayor Andy Foster pulling the paper from the council’s agenda on Wednesday morning while more information was provided.

He said that would allow the council to consult the public on one option rather than a set of options.

Councillors reportedly raised concerns over the proposed reopening date during a meeting with engineers on Tuesday.

The cost estimates in the council paper included structural repairs, renewing building services installed when the facility was constructed in 1991, hard fitouts like walls, floors and partitioning, and soft fitouts like workstations, furniture and IT equipment.

Wellington Mayor Andy Foster says the council needs more information on strengthening and rebuild options for the library. (File photo)

The paper said engineers deemed the building services were at the end of their lives and needed to be replaced.

It recommended councillors approve a “high-resilience” $200m strengthening option, which would result in the library reopening in 2026.

That cost included $133m for structural repairs including base isolators, $43m for new building services, and $24m for hard and soft fitouts.

A “base case” would cost $36m for structural repairs, $31m for new building services, and $24m for new fitouts - a total of $91m.

A “mid-range” strengthening option would cost a total of $152m.

Demolishing the existing library and building a new one on the same site would be up to $67m cheaper, but would take an extra one or two years than the most extensive strengthening option.

Thornton said the construction costs quoted in the report were “significantly greater” per square metre than for other comparable projects.

Mayor Andy Foster wants a quick solution for the library.

Wellington-based architect Roger Walker said although constructing a new building was cheaper than a retrofit, demolition of the building was “unthinkable”.

Its designer, Sir Ian Athfield, was a “creative genius”, Walker said.

Former deputy mayor Helene Ritchie said the empty library was a “sad symbol of the council’s ineptitude and paralysis”.

“The public and I are very concerned that this significant asset of the council has already been lying in waste and empty for over a year.”

She suggested the council should choose the bare minimum option of a $36m structural repair, and urgently address any immediate maintenance required.

The report said that option would leave the building vulnerable to substantial damage following a significant earthquake, and would likely take more than a year to repair.

Foster has said he wants a quick solution for the library, and has already missed his self-imposed 150-day deadline to come to a decision.

That was partly because a paper due to be tabled in March was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It's understood Foster may seek to make an amendment to the council's Long-Term Plan, which would result in a quicker decision for the library which has been closed since March last year.

City councillor Fleur Fitzsimons, who holds the council's libraries portfolio, said Foster had made the right call.

'An extra week will give him time to work with council staff and councillors to determine the steps needed to get the library open as soon as possible.

'We may need to amend the council’s 10-year budget to ensure the initial work on fixing the library can start this year.'