Developer says not so fast with Majestic Theatre demolition plan

Monday, 23 October 2023

Timaru property owner Gaire Thompson says he wants more information before making a possible offer for the Majestic Theatre building.

Extensive property owner and developer Gaire Thompson is opposing a plan to demolish a building in central Timaru, and has added his voice to calls for the decision to be reconsidered.

Nelson-based Thompson, said he wrote to the Timaru District Council to enquire about the Majestic Theatre building, after it was announced the council had granted a consent for owner, Timaru District Holdings Limited (TDHL) to demolish them, earlier this month.

In his letter to the council, Thompson said he expressed an interest in buying and developing the Majestic building, while demolition would not bring in rates and just leave an unsightly gap.

“I’ve not been inside [the Majestic] but would like to make an appointment to have a look. The council seems hell-bent on pulling it down.

Former owners Gavin and Joanne List have spoken of their regret nothing was done to restore the building sooner.

“Do they want a blob here and a blob there?

Thompson said he had also asked the council to supply useful information, including any known demolition costs.

“There has been nothing yet apart from the plan [to demolish].”

The buildings set for demolition include buildings from the former Majestic Theatre, centre, and the buildings to the immediate left of it.

At a council meeting last week, mayor Nigel Bowen said there was “no will” to intervene and prevent the demolition, after Timaru urban deisgner Nigel Gilkison made a last-ditch plea for the council to do so.

Gilkison, who has been asking the council to step in and halt the demolition since the plans were unveiled, called on them to “exercise some control over TDHL, and direct them to put a stop to this wholesale demolition immediately before it’s too late.

“I’m not necessarily saying that these buildings have to stay, but they should definitely not be demolished until all potential adaptive reuse options have been explored or a viable comprehensive redevelopment proposal is consented to replace them,” Gilkison said.

Timaru District Holdings Ltd’s general manager Frazer Munro says they are open to “all-comers” to discuss possible future plans for the Majestic Theatre.

Later in the meeting, TDHL chairperson Mark Rogers said they were still open to offers, which met their set criteria, for the sites.

Those include financial aspects and desired outcomes for the CBD.

On Friday, TDHL general manager Frazer Munro repeated that position and said, although the demolition could occur early next year, it was not too late for the decision to be reconsidered.

Munro said he was willing to meet with Thompson.

“We’re always open to offers, we’re open to all-comers.”

The Majestic Theatre has not been used for some years and, after its days as a cinema ended, became a video store.

Regarding the building’s possible earthquake risk, Thompson said he wanted detailed information on the matter and had not yet received any.

Asked if a full earthquake risk assessment had been made of the building, Munro said it had not.

“We had a walk round with a structural engineer who said it’s quite earthquake-prone.”

Thompson also wanted to know how much demolition would cost. He expected the figure would be high.

The new Animates store opened in Timaru on Friday in one of Thompson’s Stafford St properties.

Munro said there had been some indications but until it was “put out to market,” the amount was not known.

Thompson owns other buildings in the area, including the former Warehouse Stationery building, further up the street from the Majestic Theatre building, which was recently leased to Animates.

“It’s a positive step for the town to get a national tenant there, and will entice people to the area.”

He considered the possibility of a new building being constructed on the Majestic Theatre site, should it be demolished, to be unlikely.

“I’m doing a reasonably substantial building in Nelson at the moment, and can’t get a return on it.”

Thompson said he had not been interested when TDHL earlier marketed 3700sqm of buildings and land between 101 and 123 Stafford St, which included the Majestic Theatre.

Other Timaru buildings he owned include the nine-story Cantec House in George St and the town’s former railway station, as well as the former Butterfields building, which he said was in a worse state of disrepair than the Majestic Theatre when he renovated it.

Former owner and the last cinema operator of the Majestic Theatre, Gavin List, spoke of his regret over action not being taken years ago to preserve the building.

TDHL plans to remove the buildings from 101-107 Stafford St and create a temporary green space on the site, with draft plans indicating demolition could start as soon as January.

Council spokesperson Stephen Doran said the council had referred Thompson to TDHL, as the owner of the properties.