29 May 2017

The owner of eight units in the historic Duncan’s Building in High St has asked Christchurch City Council for a Heritage Incentive Grant of up to $362,675.

The owner, Duncan’s Lane Limited (DLL), wants the grant to help pay for the cost of repairing the building’s historic street façade.

A 1980s image of the Duncan's Building.

A 1980s image of the Duncan's Building.

The Duncan’s Building dates back to 1905 and occupies the south-western side of High St between St Asaph and Tuam streets. It is made up of what were initially 16 individual residential and commercial units.

DLL owns the eight units between 143 and 157 High St. The units suffered structural damage in the earthquakes, particularly at the rear where numerous ad-hoc extensions had been added over the years in unreinforced brickwork.

Rather than attempt to repair the rear portions of the building, DLL has elected to focus repair efforts on the street facing façade. It plans to demolish the rear of the building and build a new building behind the retained façade.

DLL estimates it will cost $725,000 to retain and restore the façade.

On Wednesday the Council’s Social and Community Development Committee will consider a report which recommends the Council give DLL a Heritage Incentive Grant of up to $362,675, which is half the estimated cost of the facade work.

The Duncan’s Building was designed by brothers Alfred and Sidney Luttrell, who settled in Christchurch in 1902 and were particularly known for their commercial architecture, grandstands and Catholic churches.

The building offered retailing on a smaller scale than the larger neighbouring High St buildings such as Butterfields and Para Rubber and initially housed 16 individual shops. Those shops were home to a variety of businesses in the early years including confectioners, fruiterers, butchers, furniture deals and hairdressers.

The façade is made from brick and Oamaru stone and each bay has a pair of round-headed windows beneath a unifying entablature and parapet. Three pediments are interspersed along the length of the parapet, with the stone inscription reading ‘Duncan’s – AD 1905 – Buildings’.

Read the report.

UPDATE: The Social and Community Development Committee has recommended the Council approve a Heritage Incentive Grant of up to $362,675 for the facade work on the Duncan's Building.