Demolition of CTV building underway

Photo / Geoff Sloan

The demolition of what remains of the CTV building, where the majority of the Christchurch earthquake's 181 victims died, is underway.

The burned-out lift shaft of the building, which collapsed on February 22, has remained standing, becoming a symbol of the tragedy at the site where 116 lost their lives.

The remains have been analysed as part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the disaster and diggers have started work tearing it down.

Maree Lucas, whose husband Shawn Lucas, a CTV production manager, died in the building, was relieved the remains were coming down.

"It's a reminder of the devastation. You can see the burnt-out lift shaft, and it's not a very nice reminder," she told The Press

She said a memorial should be constructed at the site in the future.

Meanwhile, Christchurch inner-city business owners want a timeframe of just how long it will take to demolish the Hotel Grand Chancellor.

Tenders are now being analysed from contractors to bring the badly damaged, 26 storey building down.

All of them advocate a "conventional" deconstruction - as opposed to using explosives and will take months even once the green light is given.

Central City Business Association manager Paul Lonsdale said months is a very loose definition.

"There's 12 months in a year so it'd be good to get a definition of exactly how many months, when they're going to start and the methods they'll be using because there are a lot of methods out there that would bring that down sooner than in months," he said.

Mr Lonsdale said the key thing once a contractor is decided upon is for work to get started immediately.

- NZ Herald staff and Newstalk ZB