McCahon cottage project costs soar

The restoration of a cottage in which New Zealand painter Colin McCahon spent an artistically rich period of his life remains on schedule despite a significant increase in costs.

McCahon lived in the hilly Waitakere City bush suburb of Titirangi from 1953 to 1960, when he produced works such as the French Bay series and the Northland panels.

A project to restore the humble abode that he, wife Anne and their four children called home was launched by Prime Minister Helen Clark last year.

The project includes building a studio and two-bedroom accommodation on an adjoining property for an artists-in-residency programme.

McCahon House Trust executive director Penny Dever said the restoration was on track for completion over the summer as planned.

"It's on schedule as much as restoration work like that can be," she said.

"There's always a possibility of things coming up that take a lot longer than anticipated, but at the most it will be finished early next year."

Ms Dever said the house, at Otitori Bay Rd, in French Bay, had been in such a poor state that it might have collapsed in a heavy storm.

She said the first stage of the restoration - which is being partly paid for by a Sky City Auckland Community Trust grant of $214,790 - had involved putting in a secure foundation wall under the house.

The next step would include removing concrete poured on to the deck after the McMahons had left, and rebuilding the deck.

Ms Dever said the house would be open to the public on completion of the project, but access might be delayed until after the studio and accommodation next door were completed.

Work on the residency was due to start early next year.

The total project, including capital funding for the residency programme, was originally estimated at $2.5 million.

However, the cost of the construction work on both properties, estimated at $1.5 million, had jumped by $365,000 because of increases in the price of materials and labour.

Ms Dever said the trust had covered the original costs, but was now looking for further funding to make up the difference.

- NZPA