A NEW ERA

 

A New Era ... and the start of the return to the old one

The HG Newsflash will keep coming, partly because of public demand, but mostly because getting back to the old way of doing things takes quite a bit of cooperation and coordination.

Skip

The regular skips have been a huge bonus, and I know everyone has been grateful for the facility.  Getting back into our homes has meant a surprising amount of throwing out.  First, there have been thoughts of why the heck did I keep this or that, when I had the chance of clearing it out earlier?  And then there has been all the packaging and wrapping stuff, plus items that have been damaged or broken during removal, storage and return.

The skip at the front door will disappear this week, and be replaced by another skip -- one that is not ours! Please do not put anything into it!  It is for Aoraki to use to dispose of the sand and dirt that was involved with the setting up of the hoist.  We will get our own skip when the last traces of the hoist have gone, and it will be put in the old place, alongside the wall by the back steps.  Instead of going to the front door to dispose of your stuff, go to the back door.  So much easier ... 

Bins

The bins will go back into their old site at the back steps, too, each with its own label on the wall.  Please take note of the labels.  "Paper" means paper only (not plastic or polystyrene) and "glass" means just glass.  Tins and plastic have their own bin.  Sorting these out properly means life is a lot easier for the hardworking folk at the tip, and also means that we do not get scolded for getting it wrong.

If the paper bin is full, or the glass bin is full, then use the general rubbish bin.  It's a pity to not recycle, but worse to have extra glass or paper floating about the back door.

Reassurance

Gazelle is not going away!  While we will not see as much of her, she will be around.  The leftover defects will still be attended to (and more about that in a minute). She will also be managing the Aoraki team that is assisting the Otis team with the replacement of the lifts. 

Leftover defects

These mounted up, so there have been unavoidable delays.  If you still have defects, make a list, put it in an email, and send the email to Rachel (r.pattison@tbig.co.nz) and copy it to Chris Garrett (leegarrett53@hotmail.com).  Then be patient!  You will not be forgotten!!

Community board

We have all appreciated getting urgent updates plus extra information via the whiteboards that were set up in the foyer.  These have gone, along with the beautification of the foyer.  Now, we will have a community board set up in the passageway at the back door -- on the righthand side (looking out towards the garages) so that it can be seen from the lift lobby.  This is majorly for Brigid's and my use, but if you have notices to post, such as having a carpark to rent, then feel welcome to use the provided markers.  Please, however, sign anything you write up there, so that we can contact you if necessary.

Riser openings

These are on every level, where the fire hoses were.  Currently they are open, so you can see the neatly aligned new cabling and so forth.  They will soon be inspected for fire rating, and once passed will be closed.  White Melteca panels have been prepared for this already. 

Tenants

Tenants are most welcome to join the mailing list for the newsflash, which goes out electronically.  Just email me (druettjo@gmail.com) and I will be glad to welcome you to the HG Newflash community.

Foyer -- paintings needed!

And finally, our beautiful new foyer, which looks just like a posh art gallery -- minus the art.  If you have a beautiful painting you would be willing to lend for a few weeks or so, do bring it down, so residents can assess and enjoy.  And that leads me to an announcement -- the Tuesday morning chats where we get together informally at 10.30 have recommenced!!  All most welcome, including tenants.

MAJOR MILESTONES

 

1966 ......................................................2026

The Big Project

As of this Saturday, it is officially complete!

All the scaffolding will be down, the paintwork complete, and most garages and parking spaces returned.

There will of course be odd bits and pieces, as the endings of big projects tend to involve, but Gazelle will still be visible, and defects that remain will be fixed. 

Saying goodbye ...

will be hard.  We have become so accustomed to the busyness, and the bright smiles, and the general racket that it will seem strange.  Aoraki and their sub-teams have been amazing.  So friendly and helpful.  And, as Gazelle confided today, they have enjoyed meeting us all, and getting to know the Herbert Gardens community.

That earthquake-prone sticker

The last documentation to the WCC should be handed in, early June, and then it is up to the council to review the rating.  Crossed fingers that sticker will be off the front and back doors in July.

Foyer

Doesn't it look great?  So light and airy, And yes, the splodges of plaster that have been walked onto the stone floor will be removed.

The question now is how to decorate.  We don't really want the foyer to look like the entrance to a grand hotel.  Next thing, people would walk in from the street, and look for the reception desk so they can book a room for the night!  We are a community, and the foyer should look like our lounge.

So how do we decorate?  Here's an idea!  There is some wonderful artwork in this building, owned by discerning residents.  If some of this could be loaned to the building for the foyer, even if just for a short time, it would be fun.  I am happy to lend one of Ron Druett's great paintings, for instance. 

All ideas welcome.

Elevators

People have commented that it has gone very quiet in the shaft.  The work is being done off-site at the moment, with brackets being manufactured according to the scans that were made by Otis and Aoraki. Soon the brackets will be ready, and the work in the shaft will recommence.  The fittings for the car are also being assembled.  So don't fear that we have been forgotten.  And here, as a reminder, is a rundown of the lift work, both done and what is coming:

The overall process:

• Otis remove old Lift 1
• Aoraki prepare shaft 1 for new lift install
• Otis install new Lift 1
• Lift 1 operational
• Otis remove old Lift 2
• Aoraki prepare shaft 2 for new lift install
• Otis install new Lift 2
• Both lifts operational

 

The detailed step through:

Lift 1

What has been done:

• Safety screen installed to centre of shaft – so works for install of new lift can be done while existing keeps working
• Lift 1 removed completely.
• Lift 1 side of shaft handed over from Otis to Aoraki
• Aoraki scaffold installed to Lift 1 side of shaft
• Aoraki site measure for additional steelwork required for new lift. Fabrication drawings approved.

 

What is happening now:

• Fabrication of steelwork.

 

What happens next:

• Installation of steelwork (Aoraki)
• Aoraki upgrade electrical supply
• Otis commence their steel install from scaffold
• Scaffold out
• Lift 1 install.

Repeat above for Lift 2

 

 Target remains for Lift 1 complete end July.

Target remains both lifts complete December 2026.

TIDYING UP

 

Courtesy Judy Myres

Scaffolds

They are coming down as we watch!  And I have a bouquet for the scaffolding crew to pass on, from a happy resident who found them helpful and polite when he was shifting his car.  On Saturday we will see even more of them, as a large crew comes on site to continue the removal. And they will continue to be present over the following week, with a target of getting the lot out by that Friday.

Ventilation

You will have noticed the friendly and busy pair racing from apartment to apartment (via the stairs!) to check and calibrate the system. The big fan to riser C had to be replaced, following loss of the cowl in the second-to-last big storm. The designer of the system will be checking it all today.  My bathroom ventilation has been quiet and not too drafty all along, and hopefully all will be like that soon.  Recalibrations can happen at any time, to make sure it works according to plan.

Fire alarms

Currently, they are being installed in garages and carports, which is why Brigid has been busily shifting cars around.  The cooperation of the owners has been greatly appreciated.

Foyer

Almost finished!  My visitors think it looks really great, light, airy and welcoming. The scaffold tower is being taken away in the lobby, which means that plastering and painting in the lobby can commence.  The wooden battens will go, as they are a fire hazard, but it does mean that the lobby will match the light and airy appearance of the main foyer. 

SECURITY

Unfortunately, there have been thefts and vandalism in garages.  The lighting of outdoor areas (and the basement area with garages and rubbish/recycling bins) and the positioning of security cameras is being urgently investigated and upgraded where necessary.  It has been difficult, with scaffolding in the way, but that is now being fixed. But it is very important to keep your garage locked.  With some, it is difficult, as the fire work etc. has meant that the door can't be closed, but that will come to an end soon, too.

Facts and figures

What Aoraki has accomplished, a list courtesy of Gazelle:

• 1360 penetrations have been sealed and fire rated.

•  There have been 1144 pre-cast brackets installed. 174 core brackets installed. 1,318 total number of brackets.

•  All 4 elevations of scaffold from GF to Level 13 was made up of 2620 decks, 7726 ledgers and 50 sets of stairs. Over 60 truckloads of scaffold over the course of the project.

•  214 refurbished windows. 

• Over 300 people have been inducted to site, average number of people on site per day was 70-80.

• 15.3km of sealant was used. 

• 1014m2 of blockwork was demolished. That's a total of 12,675 concrete blocks and 253.5 tonnes. 

• We removed 2700m2 of textured asbestos ceiling. 

•  33000m2 of paint was used across the entire job. 

TBIG

And here is a heartening message from our project managers, complete with a video of Rachel.  

HOUSEKEEPING

 

Fire doors

These, as you may have noticed, are on every level.  People tend to clip them back to make it easy to push trolleys through the doorway.  Please make sure to close the fire door when you have finished.  Otherwise we are breaking laws and fire regulations and all that important stuff.  There is no point in spending mega-bucks on fire safety and then have fire doors carelessly clipped open.

Trolleys

Please make sure to put them back in the lobby/foyer when you have finished with them.  It is super annoying to unload your vehicle or receive a delivery and then find that someone has abandoned the trolleys in some random lift lobby.  And please also do not leave the supermarket trolley loaded as it is irritating to have to empty it out in order to use it -- particularly when a grocery delivery includes melting icecream.

Foyer

As you can see, the paintwork is almost done.  My visitors have exclaimed about how clean, airy and light the foyer looks already.  The carpeting will be laid next week, and after that we might even be able to start to think about restoring the Tuesday morning chat group.  Paintings etc will not go up until we have some kind of consensus, which might take a while.  

Aoraki crew

It is going to be hard to say goodbye to the people in their hi-vis vests.   This last couple of months has been frantic, with the site being closed almost all the way down, and it has made it so much easier that they are so friendly and polite.  I said to these guys, "Do you want to be internet stars and be photographed for the HG Newsflash?"  "Go for it," they said.  Wonderful attitude.

And I can say the same about the painting crew.  Doing a terrific job, evidently with pleasure.