Re:START facts for kids
Re:START in November 2013
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| Location | City Mall, Christchurch, New Zealand |
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| Coordinates | 43°31′59.77″S 172°38′6.27″E / 43.5332694°S 172.6350750°E |
| Address | Cashel Street |
| Opening date | 29 October 2011 |
| Closing date | 31 January 2018 |
| Developer | Restart The Heart Trust |
| Number of tenants | c. 50 |
| Website | |
The Container Mall (also known as Re:START) was a special shopping area in Christchurch Central City, New Zealand. It was built using old shipping containers. This mall was created after the big 2011 Christchurch earthquake on February 22. That earthquake badly damaged most buildings in City Mall. Because of the damage, the city center was closed off to the public.
Re:START was first meant to be a quick fix. It helped bring shops back to the city while new buildings were being planned. But it became very popular with both locals and visitors. The mall stayed open for business until January 2018.
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Why Re:START Was Needed
Before the earthquakes, City Mall was the main shopping spot in central Christchurch. It was a pedestrian area, meaning only people could walk there. The mall covered parts of Cashel Street and High Street.
The city center, including City Mall, was first damaged by an earthquake on September 4, 2010. Another earthquake on December 26, 2010, caused even more damage. But it was the February 22, 2011, earthquake that caused the most destruction. Many historic buildings in the mall collapsed or were severely damaged.
How Re:START Started
First Location and Opening
In April 2011, plans were announced to reopen part of Cashel Street. The opening date was set for October 29, 2011. This was just before a big local event called Cup and Show Week.
A group called the Restart The Heart Trust led this project. Their goal was to bring shops back to the city center. The Trust received a loan of $3.36 million to help.
Temporary shops were made from shipping containers. These containers were set up as retail spaces for 27 different shops. A large department store called Ballantynes also reopened nearby. New Zealand's Prime Minister, John Key, officially opened the mall.
Paul Lonsdale, who first suggested the idea, became the mall's manager. He and others initially thought it was the world's first "pop-up mall." A pop-up mall is a temporary shopping area. However, similar container malls already existed in other places like Mexico and Kyrgyzstan.
Shipping containers were chosen because they are strong and can be moved easily. This was important because Christchurch was still having strong aftershocks. Also, the mall might need to move later to make way for new buildings. The first 27 shops signed contracts for six months.
The Re:START mall opened on Saturday, October 29, 2011. The Mayor, Bob Parker, and Prime Minister John Key were there. The Prime Minister called the project "incredibly funky." About 10,000 visitors came to the opening. One shop owner said it felt like a "carnival" (a fun fair).
At first, people could only get to Re:START from one side of City Mall. Much of the city center was still closed off. The main city cordons were not fully removed until June 30, 2013. The mall's first layout had most shops on one side of Cashel Street, across from Ballantynes. The rest were on the other side.
Moving the Mall in 2014
In December 2013, there was news that Re:START might have to close by April 2014. This made many people upset. The land lease for part of the mall was ending, and new building work was planned.
A month later, talks began about moving the northern part of the mall. In February 2014, the local newspaper The Press announced the move. The northern shops would shift west, next to the shops already on the south side of Cashel Street.
In March 2014, the Earthquake Recovery Minister, Gerry Brownlee, announced a grant of $1.27 million. This money helped the Restart The Heart Trust move the mall. It took 10 days to move the northern section. Minister Brownlee reopened the moved part on June 13, 2014.
Impact of Re:START
In 2012, Christchurch's recovery got a boost. The famous travel guide Lonely Planet listed Christchurch as one of the 'top 10 cities to visit' in 2013. Re:START was even mentioned as a "most bizarre sight."
Paul Lonsdale, the Re:START manager, became well-known. He ran for Christchurch mayor in the October 2013 local elections. He didn't win the mayoralty, but he was elected as a Christchurch City Councillor.
Mall Closure
The Re:START mall eventually closed. The Restart the Heart Trust, which ran the mall, finished its work in 2017. The mall's assets (like the containers) were sold to a company called Riverside Ltd.
The container mall closed its doors on Wednesday, January 31, 2018. The different shops moved to other places in the city center. Riverside Ltd bought the land where the mall was located. They plan to build five new buildings there. These plans include a 7-day indoor farmers' market. This new development is expected to cost NZ$80 million.
