Heritage Duncan's Lane project on lower High St heading for mid-year finish

Sunday, 3 February 2019

Rebuild progress helped boost the good vibes in Christchurch in 2018.

Developers behind the $10 million Duncan's Lane project in central Christchurch have had their heritage grant extended for a year but say the project will be finished this winter.

The development involves attaching the rescued facades of eight of the damaged Duncan's Buildings to new structures behind, creating a precinct of hospitality outlets and boutique shops.

Opening onto the new Duncan's Lane, it will extend the High St Lanes area, which began with the McKenzie and Willis redevelopment and Little High eatery.

The Duncan's Lane development will link up with other parts of the High St lanes.

Earthquake damage to the buildings and others nearby have blocked lower High St. It is the only central city block that has not reopened to vehicle traffic since the earthquakes.

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An artist's impression of the finished facade, facing High St. A ground floor opening will link the street to Duncan's Lane behind.

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Property developer Richard Peebles is one of three partners in the Duncan's Lane project.

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This week city councillors voted unanimously to extend the deadline for the project's $362,000 heritage incentive grant for another year. The grant was first approved in mid-2017 to meet half the expected $725,000 cost of repairing and strengthening the facades.

Council heritage staff described the buildings as 'very important' to the city. They now form part of the innovation precinct.

Developer Richard Peebles said the project will be finished by June or July. He and development partners Mike Percasky and Kris Inglis, who together make up Duncan's Lane Ltd, originally hoped to be finished by this summer.

Work under way on the brick and stone buildings.

The trio are also the team behind the McKenzie and Willis development and the Riverside Farmers Market under way on Cashel St.

Tenants signed up for Duncan's Lane to date include Recycled Boutique, Bohemian Bakery, Utopia Ice Cream, MDS Law, Vapo, and Hemingway Design.

Duncan's Lane Ltd started on their project in the second half of 2017. The roof has just gone on the new rear structure, while windows will go back into the double-storey brick and Oamaru stone facades next week. An opening in the building will link lower High St to Duncan's Lane, which adjoins Evolution Square.

Eighteen months in, a third of the council's contribution has also been handed over, with the rest available as work progresses.

The buildings date from 1905 and are heritage listed.

'It's looking really good, the end product will be great when it's finished,' Peebles said.

The facades had been 'in pretty good condition', but had still involved a lot of work to restore.

'That's always the way with a heritage project.'

Peebles said the road should be open mid-year, 'but we are not the ones holding it up'.

The eight buildings make up half the original strip of the Duncan's Buildings, designed by brothers Alfred and Sidney Luttrell to house small businesses.

Some of the Duncan's Buildings at both ends were lost to the earthquakes. The remaining ones at either end, including the previously restored TMR restaurant and Arts the Printers, are in the hands of other owners.