Iconic Queenstown building façade to be restored

Click to enlarge
The Mountaineer artists drawing

Press release from The Mountaineer Limited
Thursday 31 May 2007

Iconic Queenstown building façade to be restored

A dilapidated but iconic Queenstown façade is to be restored to its former glory in an ambitious development plan covering a site that borders Rees, Shotover and Beach Streets, and encompasses several buildings.

Queenstown company, The Mountaineer Limited, was granted resource consent earlier this week for its $30million plan to develop the historic former Mountaineer Hotel site in Queenstown’s town centre.

The original hotel building dates back to the 1880s and the height of Queenstown’s gold rush. It enjoyed a long and rich history as a hotel before being converted to house restaurants and retail in the 1980s and 1990s.

Extensive interior and exterior alterations, subsequently left to deteriorate, and the crowding effect of neighbouring buildings has left the original structure in poor condition with a façade that is ripe for restoration.

Tony Butson, director of The Mountaineer Limited, said the site posed a number of development and restoration challenges but he was confident his company had developed a plan that met the complexities of the site.

“Under the Queenstown Lakes District Plan, The Mountaineer façade is protected within an historic precinct, while other buildings and vacant land on the site require a modern development. We worked with heritage architects Oakley Gray to learn about the building and its significant aspects to ensure heritage values were retained,” said Mr Butson.

“Over the past three years we have also worked with the Historic Places Trust, have commissioned a conservation report and plan, and consulted with Queenstown’s Urban Design Panel. That work has been instrumental in shaping a plan that we believe will result in an iconic and high quality development that will serve the town extremely well into the future.”

To ensure the cultural heritage value of the site, nationally and internationally recognised methods and techniques for maintenance and conservation have already been researched and will be adopted.

All work to the heritage areas of the development will meet conservation practice set out in the New Zealand Charter for the Conservation of Places of Cultural Heritage Value.

“An exceptionally high standard of skill, care and workmanship will be undertaken in consultation with the tradesmen and conservation professionals.”

The Mountaineer Limited says it plans to use as much recycled material from the property as possible.

“Architectural designs and materials have been carefully chosen in harmony with surrounding buildings, and the Queenstown environment. The enhanced façade will be visually prominent to passers by, and the upper level of the development will be set back discreetly from street level,” said Mr Butson.

“In addition to the façade of the Mountaineer, the rest of our development will appear in context with its original era. We’re aiming for the same high quality look as the iconic Eichardt’s building,”said Mr Butson.

“Our objective is to create a structure which we would hope to have historical significance in years to come.”

The interior of the Mountaineer building will feature recycled doors and timber, and an air conditioning / heating system using water from Lake Wakatipu to create the optimal interior environment. The building will be as energy efficient as possible, using solar panels as part of its energy efficiency programme.

The four-level building, plus basement, will house shops, a café and offices. Development is scheduled to start in September 2007; completion is expected by November 2008.

ENDS

About The Mountaineer Limited
The Mountaineer Limited is owned by Westwood Group Holdings Ltd. Other Queenstown projects include the Outside Sports building on Shotover Street.

© Scoop Media