Development starting to take shape

• Published date: 24 June 2022
• Publication title: Oamaru Mail

In 2019, after a legal dispute with the Waitaki District Council over retaining the upper-storey facade, Mr Paul won the right to demolish the long-vacant Macallan House in Oamaru’s lower Thames St and build a two-storey office/retail development in its place

At the time, Mr Paul said the 1881 building, which he had owned for about 13 years, required major earthquake strengthening.

The original facade of the lower level had been altered in 1966 to accommodate a new office space, and he said he had worked on concepts for strengthening the building while retaining the original upper-storey Oamaru stone facade, but it would have cost more than a new build and was ‘‘just not practical’’.

Demolition began in 2020, and Mr Paul said it was ‘‘good’’ to see the new building start to take shape.

‘‘The steel work is finally there, and that’s about all I can say,’’ he said.

He previously told the Oamaru...