Demolition of 160 Manchester Street

Immediate concerns about the stability of 160 Manchester Street, the MLC Building, means the demolition plan has been brought forward.

The 5.1 aftershock at 4.42 pm on 13 October caused further damage, and destabilised the building to the point where the owner, engineers and contractors are keeping clear of the building as it is considered dangerous.

Accordingly the demolition planned for next week has been accelerated. Heavy equipment and material to build a bund around the building to level one is being brought onto the site and preparation to demolish the building has begun.

In light of the immediate danger, the cordons on the south and east of the building have been enlarged while the demolition begins. It is expected that it will take four weeks to reduce the building down to the first level, when the cordons will be able to be largely removed. In the meantime the distance from the building to the edge of the cordons will be reviewed as the demolition progresses.

Mayor Bob Parker says the decision by Council to back the demolition of the building was only made following careful consideration of the situation, and the completion of a number of reports on the status of the building.

The property owner commissioned a report by Warwick Webber, and this report was independently reviewed and supported by Council engineers, who also carried out ground penetrating radar. Professional Council engineers entered the building and left immediately as it was too dangerous to be inside carrying out further surveys.

There are a number of reports that led to decision to demolish. The reports include:

• A structural engineer’s report dated 13 September 2010 from Gridline Limited stating the building was significantly unstable.
• A report from Detection Services Ltd after ground penetrating radar was undertaken on the exterior of the building to a methodology agreed with Council's engineer. The results were inconclusive regarding the presence of steel. This work was commissioned by the Council.
• A second structural engineer’s report dated 5 October 2010 from Gridline Limited noting that investigations, consisting of drilling piers and walls of the building, had been undertaken and that no steel had been found in any of the external elevations of the building. This inspection and report has been verified by an independent engineer who was present when this work was undertaken.
• A verbal report from a Council manager at the Council meeting of 6 October where Councillors were advised that an engineer engaged by the Council also recommended that the building should be demolished because of structural issues.

The reports can be viewed by clicking here.