This comes after the 103-year-old Knox College's main building was rated at less than 20% of new building standard (NBS) for earthquake strength "three or four years" ago. Any building rated less than 34% of NBS is classified "earthquake prone".
Dr John Kernohan, who was appointed by the Presbyterian Church as chairman of a new commission to govern the college earlier this year, said the commission was "very anxious" to get earthquake strengthening work done as soon as possible, which hopefully meant finishing it over the summer break.
The strengthening work, which would also include fire protection, was expected to cost about $6 million and would raise the earthquake standard of the building to at least 67% of NBS.
In order to fund the strengthening work it was also planned to increase the capacity of Knox College and Salmond College, which is also owned by the Presbyterian Church, by a total of 68 rooms, costing about $5 million more. The extension work was also planned for the summer break. Knox is home to 220 students.
Dr Kernohan, a long-serving church official from Auckland, said he was in discussions with church-connected parties and other sources, including the University of Otago, about securing concessionary loans to fund the project. He had been in Dunedin over the past week and would probably visit again over the next few weeks for discussions.
He believed the "chances were good" the money would be raised by the end of next month, which was the deadline.
Dr Kernohan said if the money could not be raised the commission was of the view Knox should be closed. He warned that if it did close, it "might not reopen".
"The commission believes that unless the earthquake strengthening ... work is done then Knox shouldn't be used."
Work on the main building, being overseen by Arrow International, includes removing the interior linings of every room and fastening the walls to the floors. As required by the council, the project would include fire protection work. As well, a lift would be installed.
Dr Kernohan said adding capacity at Knox and Salmond College was necessary to pay for strengthening work.
It would be "touch and go" whether work could be finished over the summer break, he said, but he reckoned at least the majority of work should be completed. If it was not finished, the remaining work would be done the following summer.
Dr Kernohan said students living at the residential college had been told the main building was earthquake-prone and some were concerned about their safety.
Dr Kernohan said that reconstruction work would retain as "much of the historic character of the place as possible".
It had been known that the main building was less than 20% of NBS for "three or four years" and some strengthening work had already been done three years ago, he said.
"Some work was done on towers and chimneys and parapets, but it wasn't completed due to lack of funds."
Otago University chief operating officer John Patrick said the university had agreed to consider lending money for the project.
"The university does not want students, or staff, occupying buildings which are earthquake-prone, which is why the university has agreed to consider loan funding for Knox so they can do the necessary strengthening without delay," Mr Patrick said.
He said if a building could not be strengthened to at least 67% of NBS it should not be occupied by University of Otago students.
