Dannevirke’s Carnegie Building awaits decision on its future

The Carnegie building in Allardice Street, Dannevirke remains empty, awaiting its fate. Photo / NZME

Dannevirke’s Carnegie building is due for demolition, but it’s still a question of when.

In a report tabled for a committee meeting this week , one of the projects under the capital programme was to “facilitate demolishment” of the old library, with the project end date of July 2024.

The plans to demolish the heritage building have been somewhat controversial in the past.

Carnegie Libraries were built around the world by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and 18 were built in New Zealand.

The original Dannevirke Carnegie Library on Allardice St, with its entrance flanked by double Corinthian columns with fluted shafts.

Dannevirke’s was built around 1907 according to records held by Heritage New Zealand.

At last count, 12 were still in use, but only two were still public libraries.

The building in Allardice St housed the public library until the 1980s when a new library was built and since then a number of organisations took up the space, including Tararua Community Youth Services.

However, according to Heritage New Zealand, the decision was made to vacate when the building was deemed earthquake-prone.

It has remained empty ever since and the council tabled a report in 2019 outlining options for the building which was either retain or strengthen, sell or demolish.

The report stated there were risks including unreinforced masonry and parts of the building falling onto surrounding areas, such as a walkway and skate bowl.

Estimated costs of a fit-out and strengthening were at least $1 million and it was felt a new building could be constructed with “far better community outcomes”, the report stated.

A campaign was launched in 2019 by Friends of Carnegie to save the heritage category two building but the cost of saving it was more than they could raise.

According to the project report, the plan was to demolish the building, leaving or developing the façade for historical purposes.

Project manager Mike Dunn said demolition of the building was on the council agenda.

“However, due to the heritage status of the building and the consent process, this requires we inform the consent process with what the intended space is to be used for.”

He said that would be decided on in future council meetings in order to determine which option they would proceed with, which would also inform the scope of demolition.

The council had not yet got to the stage where it could consider options for the space.

There had been some interest from parties investigating an offer on the building, but Dunn said they had pulled out before making any offers and there hadn’t been any firm offers received by council in the past year.