Demolition ends long decline of historic Antonio Hall

After its heritage protection was removed, a neglected Christchurch mansion will be demolished and replaced with student housing.

Unoccupied since the 2011 earthquakes, Antonio Hall has since been the site of several suspected arson attacks.

The Christchurch City Council agreed to remove the property at 265 Riccarton Road from its heritage buildings schedule in September.

Mayor Phil Mauger, in a Facebook post, said the plan to replace Antonio Hall with student housing was great news.

“Gets rid of a long-standing eyesore and creates much-needed accommodation close to the University of Canterbury,” he wrote.

Though the site will finally be redeveloped and the valuable land in the heart of Riccarton will find a new purpose, the century-old building might have been restored into student housing itself had there been a clearer vision and investment.

Instead, demolition by neglect has run its course. Years of neglect and deferred maintenance made restoration increasingly unfeasible.

Demolition by neglect refers to the slow deterioration of a heritage building due to a lack of maintenance, often to the point where demolition becomes the only practical option.

While it is not officially recognised as a legal category under New Zealand legislation, it can occur when property owners allow buildings to fall into disrepair over many years.

Without legal obligations to maintain heritage buildings, neglect can continue unchecked. In some cases, vandalism, arson, or trespassing further accelerate deterioration, leaving heritage structures beyond feasible repair.

Neglect is not a ‘classification’ under the legislation that the Council administers, which allows for compliance action to be instigated, a Christchurch City Council spokesperson said.

“The assessment of building condition is against the Building Act – Dangerous and Insanitary.

“There have been very few instances in the Christchurch area where the buildings have been allowed to deteriorate to the extent that when assessed by an engineer, they have met the threshold of Dangerous under the Building Act.”

The current heritage protection measures under the Christchurch District Plan and the Resource Management Act control the alteration and demolition of heritage items.

Yet they do not require owners to undertake short- or long-term maintenance works, such as repainting exteriors, repointing brick and stone facades, or reroofing.

The Council spokesperson said enforcing maintenance obligations is difficult because the Building Act does not require building owners to maintain their properties to a set standard.

“Maintenance of heritage items is often more difficult and costly than for non-heritage buildings, often requiring specialist trades and skilled workers, and occasionally dealing with hazardous materials such as asbestos and lead,” they said.

“Many heritage buildings include stone and brick elements, and these can be particularly difficult to maintain and secure in a seismically active region.

“There can be effective positive outcomes, and the Council has sought to support owners through, for example, free advice and grants to assist with the works.”

The Council says that assisting owners with the necessary works through advice and grants is generally effective, and that this approach has supported heritage maintenance in Christchurch and other New Zealand towns and cities.

Constructed in 1904 and 1909 for successful seed merchant Thomas Kincaid, the mansion was purchased by the Roman Catholic Church in 1946 and converted into a seminary.

The property was sold to the Luisetti family in 1980, who operated it as a boarding house and reception venue, renaming it Antonio Hall in honour of their late son.

In 1993, the property was sold to its current owners, Wellstar Co., a company owned by the overseas-based Chiu family, but plans to convert the building into a motel were repeatedly postponed.

Antonio Hall had 279 rooms and was once called one of the city’s finest buildings. Since the 2011 earthquakes, only a few dozen cats have called it home.