$180 million to rebuild the library

Stuff reports:

Sir Ian Athfield can rest in peace. The Nikau palms are safe, and so is his building.

In what Mayor Andy Foster called a “great news day” for Wellington, its city council on Wednesday voted unanimously to fix the Central Library designed by the late, revered architect, at a cost of $179 million.

In doing so, they turned their backs on the public’s preferred option of a new build, estimated to cost $180m.

I’ll be pleasantly surprised if it costs $180 million.

They said the town hall rebuild would cost $43 million. It now is estimated to be $112 million.