Courthouse fully quake-proof

The temporary courthouse building in High St.
The temporary courthouse building in High St.
Dunedin's temporary High St courthouse has been strengthened to meet 100% of new building standards (NBS).

The work was ordered by the building's owner, Mt Ida Properties Ltd, following a 2012 seismic engineering assessment.

That assessment rated the building at 75% NBS.

Work was done to anchor the building's first and second floors into the main central column, ensuring the building's different levels would move ''as one'' in an earthquake, the building's property manager, Spectra Ltd director Bevan Meddings, said yesterday.

That work involved a considerable number of stainless steel anchors being used to ''fix each floorplate into the central column'', he said.

The work was completed in 2013 - leaving the building with a 100% NBS rating.

That rating was confirmed this month by the engineers of the initial 2012 report, Mr Meddings said.

Yesterday's ODT report headlined ''Annexe safer than new court'' contained information from the 2012 engineering report, but not of subsequent strengthening work.

The ODT apologises to the Ministry of Justice and to the High St building's owner for the incorrect report.

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement