The university yesterday announced its plans for a new building to house its music theatre studies and performing arts department on Union St East, to be completed by 2019.
Chief operating officer Stephen Willis said it planned to demolish the Albany St facility.
"The university is taking the most cost-effective option of dealing with the asbestos by demolishing the ageing building once the new facilities are ready, which would also free the site of the existing recording studio for future development," Mr Willis said.
Consultants had determined it was safe for staff and students to continue using the asbestos-containing building in the interim.
Safety measures were in place, which included prohibiting access to some areas and relocating activities that could be done elsewhere.
The Albany St studio was built in 1967 to house the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC).
When the NZBC stopped using it, the university leased the building then bought it in 2008. Division of humanities pro-vice-chancellor Prof Tony Ballantyne said a recording control desk was bought in 2010 and was first-class at the time.
Since then, it had been superseded by smaller, more intuitive control desks more suited to teaching, Prof Ballantyne said.
Black Sale House, which was built in 1878 for the university’s inaugural professors and now houses music department staff, would become available for other uses once staff shifted to the new building.
The departments would continue to use Allen Hall Theatre and Marama Hall once the new facility was built.
"They will remain important for the department’s programmes" Prof Ballantyne said.
