Hotel Grand Chancellor, Christchurch
Encyclopedia
The Hotel Grand Chancellor was a major five star hotel in the centre
of Christchurch
in New Zealand, one of eleven Hotel Grand Chancellor
establishments across Australia and New Zealand. The city's tallest building at 26 storeys, it is located on Cashel Street, close to the city's City Mall central shopping precinct. The building was built between 1985 and 1998, with 15 floors of hotel accommodation, and 6 floors of car parking, also housing conference facilities for businesses.
and continued operation without any known structural damage. Five months later, while fully in use, the hotel was badly damaged in the 6.3 magnitude February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Structural damage occurred, caused by the collapse of a key supporting shear wall
"D5-6" located in the south-east corner of the building. The shear wall was responsible for roughly one-eighth of the Hotel Grand Chancellor's mass, primarily providing vertical support to the building.
The damaged foundations lead to the visible leaning of the building to one side. Fear that the building would totally collapse hampered search and rescue missions in the vicinity. When searched, no survivors or bodies were found in the hotel.
A later investigation by the 'New Zealand Department of Building and Housing' found that the risk of a staircase collapse and further serious structural damage could have occurred given the nature of the structural failure, but hadn't.
The building was eventually stabilised and, on 4 March it was decided the building would be demolished over the following six months using a complicated deconstruction processes from the top downwards. On the 25 May the public was told it would take over a year to demolish.
The roof of the hotel was removed in early November 2011. A protective fence was to be built around the building to catch debris from the demolition and then the demolition of the building was to proceed from January 2012. The demolition was expected to be complete by April 2012.
The Hotel Grand Chancellor management intend on rebuilding a hotel in Christchurch, although it is unclear if it will be rebuilt on the current site and when it will be rebuilt.
Christchurch Central City
Christchurch Central City is the geographical centre and the heart of Christchurch, New Zealand. It is defined as the area within the four avenues and thus includes the densely built up central city, some less dense surrounding areas of residential, educational and industrial usage, and green...
of Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
in New Zealand, one of eleven Hotel Grand Chancellor
Hotel Grand Chancellor
Hotel Grand Chancellor is an hotel chain that operates throughout Australia and New Zealand.-History:The Hotel Grand Chancellor, Christchurch was severely damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and is believed to be in an imminent state of collapse. The hotel at 26-storeys is the...
establishments across Australia and New Zealand. The city's tallest building at 26 storeys, it is located on Cashel Street, close to the city's City Mall central shopping precinct. The building was built between 1985 and 1998, with 15 floors of hotel accommodation, and 6 floors of car parking, also housing conference facilities for businesses.
Christchurch Earthquakes
The hotel survived the 7.1 magnitude Canterbury earthquake in 20102010 Canterbury earthquake
The 2010 Canterbury earthquake was a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which struck the South Island of New Zealand at 4:35 am on local time ....
and continued operation without any known structural damage. Five months later, while fully in use, the hotel was badly damaged in the 6.3 magnitude February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Structural damage occurred, caused by the collapse of a key supporting shear wall
Shear wall
In structural engineering, a shear wall is a wall composed of braced panels to counter the effects of lateral load acting on a structure. Wind and earthquake loads are the most common loads braced wall lines are designed to counteract...
"D5-6" located in the south-east corner of the building. The shear wall was responsible for roughly one-eighth of the Hotel Grand Chancellor's mass, primarily providing vertical support to the building.
The damaged foundations lead to the visible leaning of the building to one side. Fear that the building would totally collapse hampered search and rescue missions in the vicinity. When searched, no survivors or bodies were found in the hotel.
A later investigation by the 'New Zealand Department of Building and Housing' found that the risk of a staircase collapse and further serious structural damage could have occurred given the nature of the structural failure, but hadn't.
The building was eventually stabilised and, on 4 March it was decided the building would be demolished over the following six months using a complicated deconstruction processes from the top downwards. On the 25 May the public was told it would take over a year to demolish.
The roof of the hotel was removed in early November 2011. A protective fence was to be built around the building to catch debris from the demolition and then the demolition of the building was to proceed from January 2012. The demolition was expected to be complete by April 2012.
The Hotel Grand Chancellor management intend on rebuilding a hotel in Christchurch, although it is unclear if it will be rebuilt on the current site and when it will be rebuilt.