Demolition is 'seriously overdue'

MUST COME DOWN: The earthquake-damaged Daniell Building at Masterton's north end. PHOTO/FILE

A building at risk of earthquake on the fringe of Masterton's CBD, declared unsafe and not to be occupied after the 6.2 magnitude earthquake on January 20, has been described as being "seriously overdue" for demolition.

Masterton District Council chief executive Pim Borren was responding to questions put by councillor Gary Caffell at a meeting on Wednesday relating to the state of the 90-year-old Daniell Building at the northern end of Queen Street.

Mr Caffell said he had been "dismayed " to learn that as far back as 1942 questions had been raised over the safety of the building, but he was prevented from elaborating after confirming to Mayor Lyn Patterson the document he was reading from was not a report prepared for council, but for the building's owner.

The Daniell Building has to all intents and purposes been condemned since the January quake after it was cleared of tenants and an order made that forbade people from entering it. It is owned by former Masterton mayor Garry Daniell.

Mr Caffell said several people had approached him asking why the building was still standing, as it was "well below the safety threshold".

Mr Borren said the council's buildings manager had inquired into the status of the building after the mayor had asked to be updated on what was happening. "It is seriously overdue for demolition and the building manager has been asked to request the owner to begin demolition early in the new year," he said. Mr Daniell was advised to secure the building so nobody could " randomly" enter it. At the time of the January earthquake, some of the rooms had been tenanted for residential use but the people were moved out and told they could not return. Cracks and damage to interior walls prompted action to condemn it.

Discussion over the Daniell Building comes only a week or so after news the council is launching a new audit of Building Warrants of Fitness and compliance schedules as it looks to improve the standard of commercial buildings throughout the district. The project is to be headed by building inspector Jill Swanson, who will check which buildings do not have a Warrant of Fitness and then encourage owners to comply.