In a statement to media this week, Totara-Dunedin Properties said work would begin at the Princes St properties on Tuesday.
The statement said traffic safety measures would be installed next to the buildings at 380-394 Princes St, to provide pedestrian and vehicle safety as deconstruction of the properties began.
"Scope Group, who are managing the deconstruction work, will take all steps to minimise any disruption to residents and commuters.
"The work is expected to take 10 weeks.
"The deconstruction work was publicly signalled last month, with minor administrative matters causing a short delay in the commencement of works.
"Scope Group are an experienced and privately owned and operated demolition company with recent work examples in Dunedin at Rattray St, MacLaggan St Warehouse, and the University of Otago."
Plans for the development of the site remained unconfirmed, the statement said.
The buildings’ demolition follows a failed 15-year fight by heritage supporters to preserve the historic facades.
The long-running battle over the fate of the buildings included accusations of "demolition by neglect" and calls for councils to be given more powers to force building owners to maintain heritage buildings.
The demolition consent, reissued by the Dunedin City Council on September 28, said during the demolition of 380, 386 and 392 Princes St and nearby 11 Stafford St, the entire building of the neighbouring 372 to 378 Princes St must be retained.
All care must be made to ensure the buildings retained on site are undamaged during the demolition work, and upon completion of the demolition work, they are to be made weather-tight.
Within 20 days from the start of the demolition, the consent holder must enter into agreement with the council to acknowledge work is required on the retained building, at the consent holder’s expense, to comply with building regulations, seismic strength requirements, a fit-for-purpose floor plan, "and the level of amenity for it to be integrated into any wider redevelopment proposed for the site in the future".
The consent also said a replacement building or buildings would be built on the site in the short or medium term.
The new buildings should reflect the "low-rise qualities" of the buildings of the Princes St heritage precinct, it said.
"The future development need not be a direct replica of the historic architecture, but it should be a sympathetic contemporary design that makes use of traditional materials," the decision said.
Last year, the buildings at 380 and 386 Princes St were deemed to be dangerous.
The Otago Daily Times has previously reported demolition work would begin on September 25 and then October 2.
