It is the first house to be designed by Edmund Anscombe — the prominent Dunedin architect who went on to design the University of Otago’s School of Mines building, Marama Hall, the Medical School’s Lindo Ferguson Building, Otago Girls’ High School and the Evening Star (Allied Press) buildings.
The house at 6 Baker St, Caversham, is owned by Blue Sky Property Group director Lyndon Fairbairn and is being removed to make way for six two-bedroom town houses.
They will be among 55 houses being built by the company around the city to help meet demand for rental properties.
‘‘It will help alleviate the current property pressures [undersupply issues] and add valuable rental property to help house the influx of workers for all the big upcoming infrastructure programmes.’’
Mr Fairbairn said rather than demolish the house, he gave it to an Athol farmer who wanted to turn it into a guest house.
‘‘There’s a lot of history behind it and we wanted first and foremost for it to have an ongoing life.
‘‘We thought it was better to have it carry on its life somewhere else, rather than have a bulldozer go through it.’’
Hocken Library archivist David Murray said the wooden villa was built in 1907 for accountant Robert Hanning and wife Mary.
It was built by Henderson & Gerrie for £560 and quality materials were used.
The removal company had spent the past week removing the chimney and putting supports in place to keep the house in one piece while it was transported to its new home.
It was hoped the move would take place later this week, and would feature on the Moving Houses television programme.
