Christchurch City, 27 months on

[JeffinNZ]

Hi team.

The family took a quick trip into the city yesterday to catch up on where things are at. Even over two years on the buildings are still coming down though now we are seeing new buildings going up also. I found it very easy to lose direction as so many landmarks are no longer there. Also quite upsetting looking at vacant lots and not being able to remember what used to stand there. The strangest thing is being able to see so far in the city. Formally, like an city, it was possible to see block to block and other than down streets not far at all. Now it is possible to see a quarter mile in places.

An example of one of the many vacant city blocks:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_154240_zpscfb2ed8f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_154240_zpscfb2ed8f.jpg.html)

And another:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_154231_zps7136aa3f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_154231_zps7136aa3f.jpg.html)

What remains of the Cathedral:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_153902_zps84db356b.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_153902_zps84db356b.jpg.html)

The PWC building still to come down:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_154236_zps6e13750d.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_154236_zps6e13750d.jpg.html)

Example of some of the 'space filler' art popping up:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_153615_zps2e56e56e.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_153615_zps2e56e56e.jpg.html)

Saving the facade of the Isaac Theatre Royal:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_153339_zpsf5d1e7a6.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_153339_zpsf5d1e7a6.jpg.html)

A view down New Regent Street that survived though the building at the end is not so lucky:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_152523_zps21440b28.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_152523_zps21440b28.jpg.html)

An old bank building that survived. Now a video store and great cafe. The building is built like a tank like so many other ex government buildings:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_162031_zps03c32ad9.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_162031_zps03c32ad9.jpg.html)

The civic garden outside the cafe planted by the council. Free veges for all. Pretty cool:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_162011_zps0f4c094f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_162011_zps0f4c094f.jpg.html)

The water dispenser in the cafe. GREAT use of an old Singer sewing machine. Turn the wheel, out comes the water:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v505/JeffinNZ/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_155603_zpsb395e05f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/JeffinNZ/media/Quake%202011/IMG_20130518_155603_zpsb395e05f.jpg.html)

[km101]

Jeff, great pics and descriptions. I had heard about the earthquakes on the news, but had no idea of how wide spread the destruction actually was. Good to hear that the rebuilding has begun.

[starmac]

Love the water dispenser. It is amazing how just a few minutes can change an area forever.

[cobroller]

I share your awe of natures fury. Thank you for the good pictures of the recovery. Last evening I drove through Joplin, MO which had the huge tornado in 2011. The buildings destroyed were not as old or nice as those in Christchurch, but the shock of being able to see across the width of the city is staggering.

[MtGun44]

Jeff,

Is there a change in building codes to beef up new buildings? Of course, in many situations
the improved building codes have been there for a while, it is the pre-existing buildings that
get knocked down.

Good luck with the rebuilding, I hope everything moves steadily forward. It's is a pretty
incredible situation, and having never had the earth shake where I was, I am count my
blessings. I have done some earthquake resistant design work for art museums, but never
for buildings.

Bill

[wallenba]

I recognized some of the builings from the TV news. Looks like things are coming back together well. I hope the whole church will be saved , It's beautiful.

[Liberty'sSon]

Glad things are coming back together, but what's with everyone driving on the wrong side of the road? :kidding:

[JeffinNZ]

BILL: Yes, some changes to the building code but they apply mostly to the land. Lots of geo tests done to establish the bearing capacity etc. Also lots of laminated wooden beams being used in place of concrete. Height restrictions too.

[MtGun44]

Sounds good, especially with steel corner and splice plates bolted a lam beam structure
can flex a LOT. Concrete, with a lot of rebar will work, too, but minimal rebar in concrete
is really bad in a quake.

Best of luck, looks like things are moving ahead.

A couple hundred miles south, Oklahoma City just got nailed by a REALLY BIG
tornado, looks like a lot of kids got crushed in a collapsed school. Very sad.
Sometimes natural disasters are almost too much to take, but we can't
really avoid them, just try to deal with it as best we can.

Bill

[JeffinNZ]

Yes, I have seen the Oklahamo footage and my heart breaks. Being a parent away from your kids when disaster strikes is tough but losing them, well.....

[Driver man]

Been a few years since i was in Christchurch, does the wizard still monopolise the square.

[Multigunner]

Great to see the town coming back to its former glory. I love the old bank building.
There's a school near here that's built like a castle, with stone carved dragons on each side of the main entrance, I think its pre civil war. Reminds me of Hogwarts, I keep expecting to see Harry Potter flying around on a broomstick.

I still have my mom's old foot pedal singer sewing machine. I've partly restored it. One day I'll have it up and running again.
I was given the casing of a different model of singer, I was able to use the top to replace the oil perished top of my machine. I used the drawers on each side to build a entertainment center on a wheeled tool stand. I keep cassette tapes in the drawers.

I also found an old business machine table that had been discarded though there's not a thing wrong with it. Its wheeled with broad quiet rollers and folding side leaves. All steel and stout as a pick up truck.