Forsyth Barr Building

The Forsyth Barr Building is a 17-storey high-rise at the south-eastern corner of the Armagh Street and Colombo Street intersection in central Christchurch, New Zealand. Completed in the middle of 1989, the building was designed as a commercial office tower during a period of intensive property development in the city. It was developed by Paynter Developments, designed by the Christchurch architectural practice Warren and Mahoney, structurally engineered by Holmes Consulting Group, and constructed by Fletcher Construction. The building was initially sold to Robert Jones Investments (Canterbury), a company associated with property developer and public figure Bob Jones. Jones named it Robert Jones House and placed the initials of his investment company, RJI, on the building. In everyday use it became better known as Bob Jones Tower, while the nickname Bob's Folly reflected the controversy surrounding Jones's political intervention before the 1984 New Zealand general election. The property was subsequently sold and acquired the Forsyth Barr name, referring to the New Zealand investment banking and financial-services firm. Architecturally, the tower was notable for its glass curtain wall and aluminium-panel exterior. This approach differed from Warren and Mahoney's earlier preference for visibly expressed concrete structural elements and became representative of a broader shift in Christchurch office-building construction. The building rose approximately 70 metres and was initially Christchurch's second-tallest structure, behind the Hotel Grand Chancellor. It remained an important central-city office property and was described in 2008 as one of the city's three A-grade office buildings. The building suffered severe disruption during the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Several staircases collapsed, trapping occupants inside. Emergency equipment installed after the 2001 terrorist attacks, including ropes, axes and sledgehammers, became relevant during the evacuation and rescue effort. One occupant with mountain-rescue experience helped people leave through broken windows and descend by rope to an adjacent car park. A photograph of the operation became one of the widely remembered images of the earthquake. Urban search-and-rescue teams faced substantial technical difficulties because heavy stair components had to be dismantled, but the building was ultimately searched and cleared without deaths being found inside. For a period after the earthquake, demolition appeared possible. The building stood within an area identified in early post-earthquake recovery planning for a proposed performing-arts precinct, creating uncertainty over whether the site might be compulsorily acquired. That designation was later reduced after Christchurch City Council chose to restore the existing Town Hall rather than construct a replacement within the proposed precinct. The tower was eventually sold in damaged condition on an “as is, where is” basis for NZ$8 million, according to the cited reference material. In December 2014, plans were announced to lease the property to the Crowne Plaza hotel chain. The project replaced the former Crowne Plaza Christchurch hotel, which had stood diagonally across from the building near Victoria Square before the earthquakes. Replacement staircases were installed in late 2015, enabling the damaged office tower to be repurposed rather than demolished. After extensive conversion work, the building reopened on 1 July 2017 as Crowne Plaza Christchurch, with 204 guest rooms. The Forsyth Barr name therefore primarily identifies the building's former office-era identity, while its current public-facing use is as an internationally branded hotel.

The Forsyth Barr Building occupies a site in central Christchurch that was previously associated with the Golden Fleece Hotel, constructed in 1851. The modern tower emerged from 1980s property development, when Paynter Developments commissioned Warren and Mahoney to design a high-rise office building. Holmes Consulting Group provided structural engineering and Fletcher Construction carried out the building work. The 17-storey structure was completed in mid-1989 and reached approximately 70 metres, making it Christchurch's second-tallest building at the time. The completed property was sold to Robert Jones Investments (Canterbury), associated with property developer Bob Jones. Jones named it Robert Jones House and displayed the initials RJI on the exterior. Public usage soon shifted toward the names Bob Jones Tower and, less flatteringly, Bob's Folly. The latter nickname referred to Jones's political profile and his role in founding the New Zealand Party before the 1984 election. After a later change of ownership, the property became known as the Forsyth Barr Building, taking the name of the New Zealand investment banking firm. The tower represented an unusual design direction for Warren and Mahoney. Rather than exposing concrete structural elements, the architects used a glass curtain wall with aluminium panels that concealed much of the structural frame. The system influenced office-building construction in Christchurch for subsequent decades. Architectural opinion was mixed, with some commentators treating the building as an awkward departure from the practice's better-known work. Despite that debate, it was a significant central-city office asset and was classified among Christchurch's A-grade office buildings in 2008. The 2011 Christchurch earthquake radically altered the building's history. Staircases collapsed and occupants became trapped. Emergency equipment had been installed after the 2001 attacks, and the evacuation involved ropes, axes and other tools. A mountain guide inside the building helped people descend from broken windows to an adjoining parking structure. Search-and-rescue operations were complicated by the need to dismantle heavy stair sections, but the structure was searched and cleared without deaths being discovered. The building's future was uncertain for several years. Nearby high-rises, including the Hotel Grand Chancellor and the PricewaterhouseCoopers building, were eventually demolished after the earthquake, while the Forsyth Barr Building remained under consideration for either demolition or repair. Its inclusion in an early proposed performing-arts precinct further complicated its prospects. That planning designation was later reduced after the city decided to restore the existing Christchurch Town Hall. The earthquake-damaged property was ultimately sold in an “as is, where is” transaction reported at NZ$8 million. In 2014, a plan was announced to lease and convert it for Crowne Plaza. The project included new staircases installed in 2015 and a substantial interior and operational transformation from offices to hospitality use. Crowne Plaza Christchurch opened on 1 July 2017 with 204 rooms. The building consequently moved from being a controversial late-1980s office tower to serving as a prominent central-city hotel, while the Forsyth Barr name remains important as its historical identity.

• 2017

  Reopened as Crowne Plaza Christchurch

  [1]Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org

  The converted hotel opened on 1 July with 204 rooms.

• 2014

  Hotel conversion plan announced

  [1]Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org

  The damaged building was slated for conversion into a Crowne Plaza hotel.

• 2011

  Christchurch earthquake causes major damage

  [1]Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org

  The earthquake collapsed several staircases and prompted a difficult evacuation and urban search-and-rescue operation.

• 2008

  Recognised as an A-grade Christchurch office building

  [1]Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org

  The property was identified as one of three A-grade office buildings in central Christchurch.

• 1989

  Office tower completed

  [1]Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org

  The 17-storey commercial building was completed in the middle of 1989 after development by Paynter Developments.

• 1989

  Named Robert Jones House

  [1]Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org

  Following its sale to Robert Jones Investments (Canterbury), the building was named Robert Jones House and became popularly known as Bob Jones Tower.

• 1851

  Golden Fleece Hotel built on the site

  [1]Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org

  The earlier Golden Fleece Hotel was constructed on the site later occupied by the high-rise.

A central Christchurch heritage-era commercial tower repositioned as an upper-upscale Crowne Plaza hotel after earthquake damage and structural redevelopment.

• Commercial real estate · 1989

  Forsyth Barr Building office tower

  The original 17-storey office building was designed by Warren and Mahoney and completed in 1989. Its approximately 70-metre glass-and-aluminium façade made it a notable late-1980s addition to Christchurch's central business district.

• Hotel · 2017

  Crowne Plaza Christchurch

  The earthquake-damaged tower was structurally repaired and converted into a Crowne Plaza hotel. The property reopened in July 2017 with 204 rooms, replacing the chain's former Christchurch hotel near Victoria Square.

• 2014

  Convert the damaged office tower into a hotelStrategy

  Background

  After the 2011 earthquake, the building faced possible demolition, repair uncertainty and planning complications connected with a proposed performing-arts precinct.

  Action taken

  The property was leased for conversion to a Crowne Plaza hotel, with new staircases and hospitality facilities introduced during redevelopment.

  Aftermath

  The building reopened in July 2017 as Crowne Plaza Christchurch with 204 rooms, preserving the structure while changing its principal use from offices to hotel accommodation.

  Reported sale price in damaged condition. NZ$8 million (During the post-earthquake sale process)

  Source

1. 1Crowne Plaza Christchurchen.wikipedia.org