Demolition man with a difference

Press, 22 July 1989, Page 9

Demolition man with a difference

By

GLEN PERKINSON

Paddy Snowdon is a demolition man with a difference. He spends his working weeks gutting old Christchurch buildings and houses, and his week-ends restoring one of the city’s oldest homes to its former glory. Mr Snowdon, aged 32, does not see a clash of interests. Having laid waste to more than 20 inner-city buildings during six years in the business, he says, “I have a real love for old buildings.” His Linwood Avenue house, Linwood House, has received “countless” hours of loving restoration since he bought it several years ago for $125,000. Mr Snowdon says that once

completed it will be worth almost twice that — but he is adamant the house will stay in his family’s hands. Linwood House is described by a historian, John Wilson, in his book, “Lost Christchurch,” as the city’s best example of Georgian residential architecture. Built in the late 1850 s, it also holds the ignominious honour of being one of Christchurch’s earliest homes to go to ruin. Mr Snowdon can spend as many as 40 hours restoring a simple window in the home. But spending a week stripping other city structures holds its benefits. He manages to pick up period pieces to use in Linwood House.

He also transplants trees and shrubs to the expansive gardens of his home. His firm, City Salvage, is one of about three large demolition and salvage outfits in Christchurch. Competition is tough, Mr Snowdon says, and all firms are always on the lookout for more work. But dragging down historic Christchurch is depressing sometimes, he says. One of the low points of his career was the demolition of the old Synagogue in Gloucester Street. Mr Snowdon cited it as one of the best examples of architecture in Christchurch and did not enjoy stripping it. He was further

dismayed when no new develop- - ment replaced it, leaving an empty section. He is keen to win the job on the United Service Hotel in Cathedral Square, due to go early next year. City Salvage’s last big job was the rear of the Post Office in the Square. Others to get the treatment from Mr Snowdon include the Canterbury Museum’s interior and Epworth Chambers on the corner of Manchester and Hereford Streets. He says the next part of Christchurch his and other firms will be busy in is the Park TerraceRolleston Avenue area where Japanese investors and others are seeking to create tourist condominiums.