Victoria Mansions

Residential apartments in Salisbury and Montreal Sts, Christchurch Central City

43°31′30″S 172°37′51″E / 43.524939°S 172.630818°E / -43.524939; 172.630818Construction started1935; 89 years ago (1935)Completed1936; 88 years ago (1936)Technical detailsFloor count5Design and constructionArchitect(s)Heathcote Helmore

Heritage New Zealand – Category 2

Reference no.3142 References^[1]

Victoria Mansions is a residential Category II heritage building in central Christchurch, New Zealand.^[1]

Heathcote Helmore had the commission in 1931 to design the building; he designed in Art Deco as was fashionable at the time. In March 1935, Victoria Mansions Limited was formed to undertake the development. They expected to pay NZ£2,800 for the land and NZ£18,000 for the building. Located immediately south of the Victoria Clock Tower, the land had three street frontages: 82 feet (25 m) to the north (Salisbury Street), 100 feet (30 m) to Montreal Street, and 88 feet (27 m) to Victoria Street.^[2] Construction started in June 1935, with five apartments on each floor, plus a single rooftop apartment, making 21 apartments in total. A small restaurant was attached on the Victoria Street frontage, with adjacent garages. Apartments were ready for occupation in May 1936.^[3]

The building was damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and has since stood empty. The adjoining restaurant was demolished after the earthquakes. In 2020, it was announced that the building will be restored, and a fifth storey added for two rooftop penthouses.^[4]

Notable occupiers

Henry Cotterill (1855–1943), of Duncan Cotterill (law firm); from 1936^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b "Victoria Mansions". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
^ "Residential flats: Four-story block for Christchurch". Evening Star. No. 21994. 2 April 1935. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
^ "Flats in the city". The Press. Vol. LXXII, no. 21712. 20 February 1936. p. 7. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
^ Walton, Steven (24 January 2020). "Apartment tower among ideas for Christchurch's Victoria Mansions". Stuff. p. 3. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
^ "Current notes". The Press. Vol. LXXII, no. 21818. 25 June 1936. p. 2. Retrieved 24 January 2020.

Christchurch earthquakes

Earthquakes

Located in or near Christchurch	June 1869 September 2010 Boxing Day 2010 February 2011 June 2011 December 2011 February 2016
Located elsewhere causing damage in Christchurch	1855 Wairarapa 1881 Castle Hill 1888 North Canterbury 1901 Cheviot 1922 Motunau 2016 Kaikōura

Buildings

Lost	Bus Exchange Christchurch Central Library Te Pae Convention Centre Crowne Plaza The Civic Clarendon Tower Cranmer Centre Cranmer Court CTV Building Durham Street Methodist Church Excelsior Hotel Guthrey Centre Hornby Clocktower Hotel Grand Chancellor Linwood House Lyttelton Borough Council Chambers Lyttelton Road Tunnel Administration Building Lyttelton Times Building Majestic Theatre Manchester Courts Oxford Terrace Baptist Church PGC building Press Building St John's Church St Luke's Church St Paul's Church Warner's Hotel Weston House Westpac Canterbury Centre Wharetiki House
Demolition	Implosion of Radio Network House Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Central Police Station Lancaster Park Music Centre of Christchurch Twinkle Toes
Damaged with uncertain future	Antonio Hall Odeon Theatre
Remaining	Antigua Boat Sheds Arts Centre (Dux de Lux, Registry Building) Bridge of Remembrance Canterbury Club Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings Chief Post Office Christchurch Art Gallery ChristChurch Cathedral Christchurch Club St Michael Church Citizens' War Memorial City Mall Curator's House Forsyth Barr Building Godley Statue Isaac Theatre Royal Knox Church McDougall Art Gallery McLean's Mansion Midland Club Building New Brighton Pier New Regent Street Lyttelton Timeball Station Old Government Building Our City Peterborough Centre Public Trust Building Riccarton House Rolleston Statue Scott Statue Shand's Emporium Sign of the Kiwi St Saviour's Chapel Town Hall Trinity Congregational Church Victoria Clock Tower Victoria Mansions Worcester Chambers
New	185 empty chairs (unofficial memorial) Cardboard Cathedral Christchurch Catholic Cathedral Pallet Pavilion Re:START
Lists	historic places tall buildings

Land

Categories	Central City Red Zone Residential red zone (East Lake) TC3
Suburbs worst affected	Central City Avonside Avondale Dallington Bexley Southshore Brooklands Kaiapoi

People

Associated with earthquakes	Ann Brower Gerry Brownlee Kaila Colbin Clayton Cosgrove Ruth Dyson Antony Gough John Hamilton Andrew Holden Warwick Isaacs Sam Johnson André Lovatt Neil MacLean Tony Marryatt John Ombler Bob Parker Nigel Priestley Mark Quigley Alan Reay Ken Ring Gerald Shirtcliff Roger Sutton Deon Swiggs Coralie Winn
Died in earthquake	Jo Giles Amanda Hooper

Recovery Plan

(1) The Frame (Margaret Mahy Playground)
(2) Te Pae Convention Centre
(3) Christchurch Stadium
(4) Metro Sports Facility
(5) Bus Interchange
(6) Avon River Precinct
(7) Te Puna Ahurea Cultural Centre
(8) The Square
(9) Performing Arts Precinct
(10) Justice and Emergency Services Precinct
(11) Health Precinct
(12) Cricket Oval
(13) Residential Demonstration Project
(14) Tūranga (Central Library)
(15) Innovation Precinct
(16) Retail Precinct
Earthquake Memorial (official)

Organisations

Public sector	CCDU CERA Christchurch City Council Civil Defence Regenerate Christchurch SCIRT Selwyn District Council Waimakariri District Council
Private and voluntary sector	Farmy Army Gap Filler Greening the Rubble Ministry of Awesome Student Volunteer Army The Press