A building once regarded as the grand old lady of Masterton has now been reduced to a pile of rubble, and owners of the prime site on Lincoln Road are locked in negotiations over a business likely to replace it.
The old Opera House, deemed an earthquake risk, was wreckedin a few days at the instigation of owner Lands Trust Masterton after engineers' reports showed the 115-year-old unreinforced building was a risk and beyond saving.
Trust chairman Alan Sadler said yesterday trustees were in the middle of "delicate negotiations" with an organisation wanting to build on the site.
"It would be inappropriate for me to comment just now but we will be putting out a press release, hopefully within the next two or three weeks," he said.
Mr Sadler did confirm the area would not become a car park, extending the existing car park adjacent to it and alongside Masterton District Council offices. He said Lands Trust Masterton was a pro-active organisation charged with producing good stewardsmanship for the people of the district. "And that's what we will be doing here."
