Crowne Plaza, Christchurch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crowne Plaza (former) |
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Crowne Plaza as seen from Victoria Street in May 2011
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| General information | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | corner Kilmore and Durham Streets, Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°31′37″S 172°38′02″E / 43.527°S 172.634°E |
| Completed | 1989 |
| Demolished | 2012 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 45 m (148 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 12 storeys |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Warren and Mahoney |
| Developer | Southern Pacific Hotels Corporation (SPHC) |
The Crowne Plaza in Christchurch, New Zealand, was once a well-known hotel. It was first called the Parkroyal Hotel. The hotel was built in 1988 near Victoria Square. Some people were not happy about its location. This was because it blocked off part of Victoria Street.
The hotel's construction helped reshape Victoria Square. It had New Zealand's biggest atrium, which is a large open space inside a building. It was also one of the city's largest hotels. Sadly, the building was badly damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. It was taken down in April 2012. The Crowne Plaza hotel group later found a new home. It reopened in the Forsyth Barr Building in late 2017.
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Building the Crowne Plaza Hotel
The Crowne Plaza hotel has an interesting history. It is linked to how Christchurch planned its city center.
Early City Plans
In 1962, a British city planner named Gordon Stephenson helped Christchurch. He was asked to find good spots for important city buildings. Christchurch needed a new town hall and bigger city offices. The old offices were too small.
Stephenson suggested that the Christchurch Town Hall should be in the northern part of Victoria Square. He also thought new city offices should be in the north-western corner. This plan meant closing a section of Victoria Street. This part of the street ran through Victoria Square. The Christchurch City Council agreed with this idea in 1965. The Town Hall opened in 1972.
Changes to the Plan
In 1970, under Mayor Ron Guthrey, the city decided to build the new civic offices. A local architecture firm, Warren and Mahoney, started designing them. A special law was passed in 1971 to help close Victoria Street.
However, Mayor Guthrey's time ended in 1972. The next mayor, Neville Pickering, stopped the civic offices project. Instead, the city bought an existing department store building for its new offices. This meant the north-western corner of Victoria Square was still empty.
A Hotel Idea
In 1983, the Christchurch City Council looked at the area again. They suggested closing Victoria Street and building a tourist hotel in the north-west corner of Victoria Square. People were asked for their ideas on changing Victoria Square. But they were not asked about building a hotel there.
The city's architect thought an L-shaped building would fit the corner well. A competition was held to find the best design. Many companies from New Zealand and other countries took part. Five designs were chosen for a closer look.
One of the companies was Southern Pacific Hotels Corporation (SPHC). They owned the Travelodge hotels. They chose Warren and Mahoney as their architects. In September 1984, their hotel plan was picked. Their idea included using the hotel as a convention center. It would work with the Town Hall next door. A special bridge would connect the two buildings on the first floor.
Building the Hotel and Square
While the Parkroyal hotel was being built, Victoria Square was also changed. The plans for the square were followed closely. The landscape architects designed the square with gentle hills and a winding path. This path led towards the Avon River bridge.
The Parkroyal hotel officially opened in early October 1988. Two weeks later, the first part of the Victoria Square changes opened. The second part of Victoria Square opened in October 1989.
The Crowne Plaza hotel group later moved to a new location. They secured a lease in the Forsyth Barr Building. This building is at the other end of Victoria Square. The new Crowne Plaza opened there in late 2017.
Images for kids
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Crowne Plaza as seen from Victoria Street in May 2011
