New home for Community House

The best "plan B" is how Dunedin Community House Incorporated chairman Andrew Whiley describes moving a collection of community groups from Moray Place to new premises in Evan Parry House.

When more than 15 social services agencies moved to one shared location in Moray Place in late 2000 and 2001, the plan was highlighted as a chance for groups to share resources and provide a base for about 25 paid staff and 475 volunteers, serving more than 16,200 clients.

The large building on the corner of Moray Place and Great King St was built in about 1908 for ink manufacturer W J Meek, a local company later acquired by Henry C Stephens Ltd, which produced school fountain pen favourite Stephens’ Ink.

Over the years the historic building had undergone regular repairs and upgrades, but it had become increasingly costly to maintain, Mr Whiley said.

A "good chunk of money" was spent recently to upgrade the internal part of the building to bring it up to code for fire risk.

Heavy rain at the end of July last year highlighted the state of the roof at the building.

"We realised that the work done in 1977 was problematic today."

Faced with the potential of having to raise about $2.5million dollars for work on the roof as well as earthquake strengthening, the decision was made to start looking for an alternative location.

The organisation struck a "very good deal with a very engaging landlord" for a 15-year lease of floors two, three and six of Evan Parry House.

"Looking at all the criteria that our tenants wanted, this was the best plan B — plan A would be to stay at Community House."

Eighteen of the 20 current tenants had indicated they would move to the new location, Mr Whiley said.

The Brain Injury Trust had found new offices upstairs at Livingwell Disability Resource Centre in George St, and Alzheimer's Otago would move in April to the ground floor of Burns House in George St.

The floors at Evan Parry House are being refurbished and the new tenants are expected to move in by the end of this month.

Some tenants had taken advantage of the move to opt for a flexible "hot desk" arrangement rather than a dedicated office.

The new location will include increased meeting space capacity.

"That has been important for the community because we do have quite a bit of demand, which we were struggling to accommodate," Mr Whiley said.

The former Dunedin Community House building at 301 Moray Place is listed for sale by Edinburgh Realty.