Property services division director Dean Macaulay said seven university buildings were to be demolished as a part of the programme that started in the break between the 2022 and 2023 academic years.
The university was investigating opportunities to maximise the use of all their existing space, and to sell buildings where appropriate.
The most recent building to be demolished was a departmental office for the department of botany in Great King St.
It was vacated in 2020 because it was earthquake prone and demolished last month.
Mr Macaulay said the site would remain vacant as the university focused on more immediate priorities.
Other buildings already demolished included the Union Court building, the McIntosh house and two interconnected brick villas in Union St West.
Mr Macaulay said the Union Court building was prone to earthquakes, had poor accessibility and amenities, poor ventilation, mould concentrations and dampness.
Heritage New Zealand did not deem the 1930s building to be of historic interest but a photographic survey was done to preserve its history.
The Mcintosh house was built from unreinforced masonry in 1925, had suffered from significant subsidence and was also prone to earthquakes.
The Union court and the McIntosh house sites had become an extension to the Union lawn.
The demolition of the interconnected brick villas took place in March because the villas were also earthquake prone, he said.
This demolition prompted Dunedin’s heritage community to raise their concerns with the Otago Daily Times.
The university confirmed there would be a further three demolitions as part of the demolition programme.
Mr Macaulay said two wooden villas in Union St that were formerly student flats, the Otago University Student Association-built squash courts in Cumberland St and some old changing rooms for physical education students also in Cumberland St would be demolished next.
Mr Macaulay said the university took pride in its buildings and was committed to maintaining, conserving and restoring them where it could, but
maintaining or retaining every structure was not always possible.
It was hoped the demolition work would be finished about mid-year.
