Contractors working on an $11.3 million
earthquake-strengthening and extension project at Dunedin's
Knox College are in a race against time to get it finished
before students return next year.
Work began on Monday, with up to a 120 people working at the
site each day. The contractors were getting to work as
students at the residential college were moving out.
The work was triggered after the main building at Knox was
found to be "earthquake-prone".
It includes an addition to the number of rooms at both Knox
College and Salmond College to help repay loans for the work.
Project manager Sam Cadden, of Arrow International, said
95-120 people were working on the project, 12 hours a day,
six days a week, to get it finished in 10 weeks. It was "by
far the largest" refurbishment the company had worked on in
Dunedin and that it had to be completed in such a short time
made it particularly difficult.
"We are extremely confident [it will be finished on time],
but with a building of this age, you really don't know what
you are going to uncover." One of the challenges was being
able to find the resources in Dunedin for such a large
project, Mr Cadden said.
"To do almost an $11.5 million [project] in 10 weeks,
especially over the Christmas period as well, is extremely
difficult."
Bringing the building up to 2012 building standards included
improving the fire standards and rewiring the building.
Installing fire doors alone cost $800,000, he said.
It was hoped the work would bring the building to 75%-80% of
new building standard (NBS) for earthquake strength.
Before the work began the 103-year-old main building was
rated at less than 20% of NBS.
Any building rated less than 34% of NBS is classified
"earthquake-prone".
vaughan.elder@odt.co.nz
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