Demolition of the quake-damaged Reading Cinema car park in central Wellington has started this morning.
The parking building, near Courtenay Place, was found to have structural damage following the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in November.
A specialised demolition crane that was tearing down 61 Molesworth Street has been moved across town for the job.
The process will last until the end of March, and a cordon in place on Tory Street has been extended.
The demolition of the Reading Cinemas car park begins. Photo: RNZ / Max Towle
About 200 residents were displaced when the car park was ruled unsafe and the surrounding buildings were cordoned off.
Wellington City Council spokesperson Moana Mackey said the focus was on getting the carpark down safely and quickly.
"There will be noise during the demolition and some days will be noisier than others depending on the work," said Ms Mackey.
The demolition of the Reading Cinemas car park begins. Photo: RNZ / Max Towle
Molesworth St art rescue
Meanwhile, demolition workers are still trying to save a sculpted mural from the rubble of a torn-down Wellington office block.
Only a corner of the building, rising a couple of floors high, surrounds the pile of rubble that was a 10-storey office block at 61 Molesworth Street.
Under that was a concrete frieze, which demolition workers were still hoping to save.
Most of the Molesworth Street building has now been torn down. Photo: RNZ / Michael Cropp
A Wellington City Council spokesperson said crews were starting to cart away the rubble and would give it their best shot to get the mural out.
The spokesperson said it could be another two or three weeks before the site was clear enough to try to save the mural.
