Manawatū heritage buildings given $113k earthquake strengthening grant

The Grand Hotel in Palmerston North is a category 1 building and will receive $50,000 towards a detailed structural assessment and design package.

Four Manawatū heritage buildings have been granted $113,898 to go towards earthquake strengthening.

The funding has come from the Heritage Earthquake Upgrade Incentive Programme (EQUIP).

Heritage EQUIP provides owners of heritage buildings financial support and advice towards seismically strengthening their buildings.

The strengthening adheres to the Building Amendment Act 2016.

The Grand Hotel in Palmerston North is a category 1 building and will receive $50,000 towards a detailed structural assessment and design package.

Gracies and Dominion town centre buildings situated in Feilding are sharing $32,998, while the JJ Macdonald building in Marton is receiving $30,900 for a seismic assessment and design process.

Associate minister for arts, culture and heritage Grant Roberston says a total of 42 buildings will receive financial support in the latest Heritage EQUIP funding round through 23 grants.

Fifteen grants are for upgrade work and eight for professional advice.

"Additional funding of $3.1 million in Budget 2020 means the programme has been extended for a further year."

Initially, Heritage EQUIP was only meant to run from 2016 through to 2020.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage started the $12m Heritage EQUIP programme in a bid to keep these precious buildings alive.

Heritage EQUIP says strengthening can be expensive.

"We risk these buildings remaining vacant or even losing some of this precious heritage and identity."