Rydges Hotel, Christchurch

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Rydges Christchurch
Rydges Hotel, Christchurch, New Zealand 14.jpg
The building in 2019
Rydges Hotel, Christchurch
Former namesNoah's Hotel
General information
Location Christchurch Central City
AddressCorner of Worcester Boulevard, Oxford Terrace and Cathedral Square
Coordinates 43°31′50″S172°38′3″E / 43.53056°S 172.63417°E / -43.53056; 172.63417
Opened1975 (officially)
Technical details
Floor count14 storeys

Rydges Hotel is a 14-storey-tall hotel building in Christchurch, New Zealand, that has been empty since the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Located just off Cathedral Square, it officially opened in 1975 as Noah's Hotel. The building fell into neglect after the earthquakes and was the subject of an insurance dispute spanning 12 years. It is currently being repaired and renovated and is scheduled to reopen in mid 2027 as Sheraton Christchurch.

Contents

Building

The building is located on the corner of Worcester Boulevard, Oxford Terrace and Cathedral Square, in the Christchurch Central City. [1] It has a floor area of 4,879 square metres (52,520 sq ft) [2] and is 14 storeys tall. [3]

History

Noah's Hotel was first used in 1974 to house athletes for the year's British Commonwealth Games. It officially opened as a hotel in 1975. In 1977, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip stayed at the hotel, and in 1983, so did Prince Charles, later Charles III, and Princess Diana. [1] In the 1990s, Noah's Hotel became Rydges. [3]

The back of the building in 2024 Back view of former Rydges Hotel in Christchurch.png
The back of the building in 2024
The car park behind the building in 2020. It was demolished in 2024. Oxford Terrace Car Park, Christchurch, New Zealand.jpg
The car park behind the building in 2020. It was demolished in 2024.

After the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, the building became vacant and Rydges left the building and began operating from one in Latimer Square. [5] The former hotel fell into neglect and was vandalised by graffiti artists. [1] One prominent tag was the text "TOGO" on the top of the building, which had also been placed on the Forsyth Barr Building. [6]

Repairs began after the September 2010 Canterbury earthquake occurred. [7] In June 2011, after the building was assessed by structural engineers, it was described by Stuff as "structurally sound but damaged internally". At that point in time the building was in the Central City Red Zone, near the border. Rydges New Zealand general manager of hotel development Chris Black stated at the time that "we would hope to have it open by mid next year". [8] In 2017, the Christchurch City Council added the building into its 'Dirty 30' list: eyesores that had been vacant since the earthquakes and were an obstacle to the rebuild. [1] The building attracted urban explorers. [9]

The building under repair in 2025, with sample panels installed Rydges, Christchurch 75.jpg
The building under repair in 2025, with sample panels installed

The building as well two other earthquake-damaged buildings were the subject of an insurance dispute spanning 12 years [3] between the owners Emmons Developments and the insurers Vero and Mitsui Sumitomo. The dispute made its way up to the Supreme Court. The other buildings were the now-demolished car park behind it and the now-demolished Grand Thornton Building. A 2019 High Court decision resolved the dispute, allowing the owner to access up to $190 million in insurance cover to fund the restoration, rebuild and demolition of the three buildings. [10] The dispute continued again in 2022 however, but it was settled out of court. [7]

The building is being redeveloped by a joint venture between Russell Property Group (RPG) and Mainland Capital. [2] When it opens, the hotel will have a new name: Sheraton Christchurch, part of the Sheraton brand owned by the American Marriott International. It will become the first Marriott hotel in the South Island. The restoration will include an extension on the eastern side of the building, an Avon River / Ōtākaro facing two-storey frontage and a canopy that will be above part of Worcester Street. [3] As of August 2025, it is scheduled to open in mid-2027, at an estimated repair and renovation cost of $150 million. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "$100m makeover: Hotel to the stars back from the dead". Stuff . 4 October 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Former Noahs Hotel site set to come back to life". The Press . 7 June 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Quake-struck hotel steps up from Dirty 30 to premium brand". The Press . 12 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "In pictures: the end of a city eyesore". The Press . 22 February 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "More insurance trouble halts central Christchurch hotel repairs". Stuff . 29 June 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "Tower tagger smashed locks and caused more than $25,000 of damage". The Press . 10 June 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  7. 1 2 "City hotel on track to reopen after insurance deal made nearly 12 years post-quake". Stuff . 14 December 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "Christchurch hotels plan relaunch". Stuff . 11 July 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "Urban explorers searching for new adventures as derelict buildings disappear". Star News. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Earthquake-hit ex-Rydges hotel building clears High Court insurance battle". Stuff . 30 April 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
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