Worcester Chambers

Office building in Christchurch, New Zealand

43°31′51″S 172°37′56″E / 43.53072°S 172.63229°E / -43.53072; 172.63229Completed1927OwnerGerard and Siu-Wai McCoyDesign and constructionArchitect(s)Cecil Wood

Heritage New Zealand – Category 2

Designated26 November 1981Reference no.1950

The Worcester Chambers, recently also known as Gough Chambers, is a heritage building in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was designed by Cecil Wood in 1926 and is designated as a Category II heritage building registered by Heritage New Zealand.^[1]^[2] Located at 69 Worcester Street in Central Christchurch, it was originally the site of a secretarial school called Digby's Commercial College.^[3]

2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes

As a result of earthquake strengthening in 2007 it withstood the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.

Owners

In September 2015, the building was bought for NZ$2.3m by members of the Gough family: prominent businessman Tracy Gough and two of this children, including Christchurch City Councillor Jamie Gough.^[4] The new owners renamed the building Gough Chambers.^[5] Although they dropped the rent,^[5] they were unable to find tenants and sold the building in late 2016 for NZ$2.18m to lawyer Gerard McCoy and his wife Siu-Wai McCoy.^[6]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Worcester Chambers.

^ "Search the List | Worcester Chambers | Heritage New Zealand". www.heritage.org.nz. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
^ "Worcester Chambers | Canterbury Heritage Awards". www.heritageawards.co.nz. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
^ "Central City Heritage Guide" (PDF). Christchurch City Council. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
^ Law, Tina (9 September 2015). "Christchurch councillor Jamie Gough plans to restore $2.3 million heritage building". The Press. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
^ ^a ^b Liz, McDonald (27 September 2016). "Gough family forced to cut rent on Christchurch heritage building". The Press. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
^ Liz, McDonald (2 December 2016). "Goughs sell building to Dotcom lawyer". The Press. Retrieved 18 February 2017.

Christchurch earthquakes

Earthquakes

Located in or near Christchurch	June 1869 September 2010 Boxing Day 2010 February 2011 June 2011 December 2011 February 2016
Located elsewhere causing damage in Christchurch	1855 Wairarapa 1881 Castle Hill 1888 North Canterbury 1901 Cheviot 1922 Motunau 2016 Kaikōura

Buildings

Lost	Bus Exchange Christchurch Central Library Te Pae Convention Centre Crowne Plaza The Civic Clarendon Tower Cranmer Centre Cranmer Court CTV Building Durham Street Methodist Church Excelsior Hotel Guthrey Centre Hornby Clocktower Hotel Grand Chancellor Linwood House Lyttelton Borough Council Chambers Lyttelton Road Tunnel Administration Building Lyttelton Times Building Majestic Theatre Manchester Courts Oxford Terrace Baptist Church PGC building Press Building St John's Church St Luke's Church St Paul's Church Warner's Hotel Weston House Westpac Canterbury Centre Wharetiki House
Demolition	Implosion of Radio Network House Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament Central Police Station Lancaster Park Music Centre of Christchurch Twinkle Toes
Damaged with uncertain future	Antonio Hall Odeon Theatre
Remaining	Antigua Boat Sheds Arts Centre (Dux de Lux, Registry Building) Bridge of Remembrance Canterbury Club Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings Chief Post Office Christchurch Art Gallery Christ Church Cathedral Christchurch Club St Michael Church Citizens' War Memorial City Mall Curator's House Forsyth Barr Building Godley Statue Isaac Theatre Royal Knox Church McDougall Art Gallery McLean's Mansion Midland Club Building New Brighton Pier New Regent Street Lyttelton Timeball Station Old Government Building Our City Peterborough Centre Public Trust Building Riccarton House Rolleston Statue Scott Statue Shand's Emporium Sign of the Kiwi St Saviour's Chapel Town Hall Trinity Congregational Church Victoria Clock Tower Victoria Mansions Worcester Chambers
New	185 empty chairs (unofficial memorial) Cardboard Cathedral Christchurch Catholic Cathedral Pallet Pavilion Re:START
Lists	historic places tall buildings

Land

Categories	Central City Red Zone Residential red zone (East Lake) TC3
Suburbs worst affected	Central City Avonside Avondale Dallington Bexley Southshore Brooklands Kaiapoi

People

Associated with earthquakes	Ann Brower Gerry Brownlee Kaila Colbin Clayton Cosgrove Ruth Dyson Antony Gough John Hamilton Andrew Holden Warwick Isaacs Sam Johnson André Lovatt Neil MacLean Tony Marryatt John Ombler Bob Parker Nigel Priestley Mark Quigley Alan Reay Ken Ring Gerald Shirtcliff Roger Sutton Deon Swiggs Coralie Winn
Died in earthquake	Jo Giles Amanda Hooper

Recovery Plan

(1) The Frame (Margaret Mahy Playground)
(2) Te Pae Convention Centre
(3) Christchurch Stadium
(4) Metro Sports Facility
(5) Bus Interchange
(6) Avon River Precinct
(7) Te Puna Ahurea Cultural Centre
(8) The Square
(9) Performing Arts Precinct
(10) Justice and Emergency Services Precinct
(11) Health Precinct
(12) Cricket Oval
(13) Residential Demonstration Project
(14) Tūranga (Central Library)
(15) Innovation Precinct
(16) Retail Precinct
Earthquake Memorial (official)

Organisations

Public sector	CCDU CERA Christchurch City Council Civil Defence Regenerate Christchurch SCIRT Selwyn District Council Waimakariri District Council
Private and voluntary sector	Farmy Army Gap Filler Greening the Rubble Ministry of Awesome Student Volunteer Army The Press