Kerry Girdwood received Heritage EQUIP funding to help strengthen the AE Kitchen building.
Kerry Girdwood received Heritage EQUIP funding to help strengthen the AE Kitchen building.
Private owners of Whanganui heritage buildings are being encouraged to apply for government funding for earthquake strengthening.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage's Heritage Earthquake Upgrade Incentive Programme (Heritage EQUIP) has been given $12 million to assist building owners, with $2.8m already allocated.
A spokeswoman said the ministry was "really keen" to get more applications from regional New Zealand, especially areas like Whanganui where there are large numbers of heritage buildings.
"Heritage building owners face challenges with seismic work such as accessing the right technical advice and skilled building contractors, along with securing sufficient funding.
"Heritage EQUIP is designed to help address these issues and help preserve the culture of places like Whanganui.
"The team has seen some fantastic results already with such places as the AE Kitchen building in Whanganui, St James Theatre in Auckland, Lambretta's café in Nelson and The Pumphouse in Christchurch all being recent recipients of the fund.
"We have had a number of people register their interest in the funding, indicating they are looking to start the journey but may not be quite ready yet. This is also encouraging and it gives the team an opportunity to plan and help out where they can."
More information, including the criteria for funding, and application forms are available at http://heritageequip.govt.nz.
The AE Kitchen building in Victoria Ave has been beautifully restored and earthquake strengthened.
Kerry Girdwood is pleased with herself and proud of her building - and with good reason.
Ms Girdwood bought the AE Kitchen heritage building in lower Victoria Ave in August 2015. Since then the building, designed by architect TH James and built in 1908/09 by Nicolas Meuli, has been beautifully restored and earthquake strengthened to 34-plus per cent of the building code.
The building is listed in the Whanganui District Heritage Inventory as Whanganui's best example of ornate Edwardian baroque architecture and often features in books on architecture.
"I didn't buy the building because I wanted to rescue Whanganui's heritage," Ms Girdwood said.
"I bought it because I wanted to live here – and it's a wonderful place to live. However, the heritage aspect very quickly became very important, not simply because of the heritage but because it was appropriate.
"The building dictated an awful lot of what needed to happen. The decisions had to be appropriate to the building. That turned out to be a very good decision – expensive but good.
"I think I've spent well and my family thinks I've spent well. The building has been future-proofed with a lift, it's geared for a wheelchair and it would be easy to make a mini apartment for a live-in caregiver. My family are happy because they know they won't have the old trout descending on them. They can come to visit."
Ms Girdwood lives in the upper storey of the building and has tenants in the two shops on the ground floor.
The cost of the entire project "will be pushing $1 million", Ms Girdwood said, with the seismic works budget $250,000 plus $47,100 for further strengthening of the façade.
Ms Girdwood received a $15,700 grant from Heritage EQUIP toward the extra cost of seismic retrofitting work on the façade.
"The then senior town planner [at Whanganui District Council] put me on to it. He knew what I wanted to do and was extremely supportive. He told me Heritage EQUIP had widened the criteria for applications which were originally for nationally listed buildings only.
"I went down to Wellington and met Mike Frew [fund manager for Heritage EQUIP]. They were very good to me in that they fast-tracked my application. It was an intensive process – and it has to be an exhaustive and intensive process - but the okay came through quite quickly."
Ms Girdwood recommends the fund to other owners of heritage buildings.
"I'd say to other building owners, do it. You will have to do it soon anyway and I understand the queue for engineering reports and seismic assessments is lengthening.
"I would talk to the heritage people at council first to find out what the local heritage requirements actually consist of then go to an architect. Talk to Heritage New Zealand, your local council heritage committee, bang on heritage people's doors, talk to heritage architects, but don't be put off by the thought it's going to be expensive. It's less expensive than it might otherwise have been if you have Heritage EQUIP's help."
Ms Girdwood says she was fortunate with the team that worked on the building.
"I bought the building through Dave Corney before he sold his business. He's a rare bird who is a builder who cares about heritage. I don't think I could have done better with a building team than DML Construction and recommend anyone who wants to do this to talk to them. They probably have more knowledge of what's required than maybe any other firm.
"Most of the subcontractors put their apprentices on the job and every one of them came to me and said they loved working on the building and learned so much."
When the first architect for the project did not work out, Ms Girdwood engaged Bruce Dickson and they went back to square one for the design work, resulting in a restoration that Ms Girdwood is delighted with.
"I want people to know about this building. I'm pleased with myself but I'm proud of the building.
"I want people to know that it's entirely possible. It doesn't have to be as expensive as this one was and if I was doing it again it wouldn't be. I now know the shortcuts and who to talk to. If I did it all again, knowing what I know now, I would save close to $100,000. Me and the building have been rather a guinea pig."
