Thursday 11 September 2014

Council seeks expressions of interest for Town Hall conservation

Christchurch City Council has begun an expression of interest (EOI) process for contractors interested in tendering for the Town Hall conservation project.

Responses to the EOI process, which will close on 7 October, will be evaluated and three to five companies will then be selected to tender for the project. The tender process is expected to close in February next year.

Council Unit Manager Anchor Projects Liam Nolan says the EOI and tender process will give the Council more certainty around the cost of conserving the Town Hall. The Council is asking potential contractors to look for innovative ways to reduce the cost of restoration wherever possible.

A recommendation regarding a preferred contractor and the final scope of the project is expected to be presented to the Council in March next year after the tender process is complete.

“This is the final step in a process that will help us to confirm the budget set aside is sufficient. We’ll be looking for cost savings wherever possible before going back to councillors with a recommendation for a preferred contractor to carry out the work,” Mr Nolan says.

In August last year, the Council set aside $127.5 million for the conservation of the Town Hall. This included repairing the Town Hall to 100 per cent of New Building Standard and significantly upgrading and refurbishing the facility. The Council agreed it would begin detailed design work and gain further cost certainty through an EOI and tender process.

Since the Council resolution last year to fully conserve the Town Hall, detailed design work has been completed and peer reviewed. Contractors have been removing heritage items on site, ensuring they can be safely stored away while construction is underway.

VBase, which manages the Town Hall, is also developing a business case that will inform the future use of the performances spaces within the facility. Users have already had input into how the spaces could be improved and user groups will continue to be consulted as the project progresses.

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