A two-storey 1950s classroom block at Whanganui Girls' College has to be knocked down and carted away by the time school starts, principal Tania King says.
It's a tight timeframe for the contractor, Feilding-based Central Demolition. The knock down phase was to have started on Monday, but finding asbestos in pipe lagging between the floors has delayed the process, owner Ian Butcher said.
Experts will now assess the problem, produce a plan to manage it and ask for more funding. There are many stages to go through, and WorkSafe requires five days' notice of any change of plan.
"It throws our schedule out. I'm really worried,' Mr Butcher said.
But if all goes well, knockdown could start early next week. Silver birch trees along the front of the building were removed on Monday.
The area needs to be clear for the start of the school year, on January 26. Asbestos removal can only be done during school holidays.
"We don't want them to be working during the powhiri out front," Mrs King said.
A Block was one of the school's first two blocks. It has 10 classrooms which have not been used for two years.
The two attached to a lift are to stay. The other eight will be removed, leaving 36 classrooms for the school's 360 students.
The school's A and B blocks are extremely solid concrete block construction. They are similar to Whanganui Hospital, and are the largest and most prominent public buildings of Whanganui East.
The school appealed to anyone who wanted to take away native timber fixtures and floors, but not many did so.
Mrs King said losing the classrooms was part of a rationalisation process. There have been lengthy negotiations to decide which should go.
The school used to have 1000 students. Its funding for property maintenance is now based on the current 360, and doesn't stretch to the whole property.
As part of the downsizing the college has also given up some grounds, gifting a field on the other side of Jones St to the Education Ministry two years ago.
The rationalisation process went well, Mrs King said. The school's roll is growing and any extra classrooms needed in future will be new build.
A Block is to be replaced by a wharenui, as requested by a school parent group. That addition will be self-funded, or funding will be sought.
The wharenui was designed by BSM Architects. It will be 100 square metres, more prominent than the current one and used for cultural events, functions and teaching.
There could be one good result of a delay to demolition, Mr Butcher said. It could allow A Block's timber floors to be salvaged.
"They could have been recycled if we had time. We would love to have have got them out, and we might have time now."
Concrete from the building will go to Rangitikei Aggregates, for crushing and reuse.