Born Again

The tragic February 2011 Canterbury earthquake snuffed the very life out of Christchurch’s central business district. Seven years on, an exciting, revitalised CBD is emerging from the rubble. NZBusiness highlights three of the many new and resurrected businesses determined to put the heart back into the city.

It has taken a long time, but finally the desolate and devastated landscape that was once the heart of pre-quake Christchurch is being transformed into a modern new CBD. 

Nobody is more excited about it than the business owners who’ve risked everything to be among the first to return.

Pockets of shiny new, and refurbished, retail and commercial buildings have come to life, such as the Justice precinct, Little High (the contemporary indoor food market), the Regent Street shops, The Crossing and The Terrace (formerly the ‘Strip’ by the Avon River). 

The old central city visage, now fading from memory, is being replaced with an ultra-modern one. 

High-tech construction materials and techniques are going into the rebuild. This CBD is here to stay – and so are the determined business owners setting up shop there.

Leeann Watson, the new CEO of the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce (CECC), is excited about the future of central Christchurch, and believes the planners are building a much better city than the one before.

“Before the earthquakes we were known as being conservative, mono-cultural and a bit of a sleepy town. The quakes really woke us up. They inspired fresh and innovative thinking, quick action and greater collaboration,” she says. 

“Keeping these values has been key to our city’s revitalisation.” 

Watson says the renewal of the central city is absolutely integral to the success and future of the city and region. 

“If we don’t have a vibrant, dynamic inner city we won’t attract and retain residents, visitors, investors and new business – that’s really important to continue to grow our economy.” 

She believes it’s important to remember the size and scale of the quakes’ destruction. 

“There’s often talk about how long projects in the CBD have taken but what people forget is that Christchurch shook for two years. The rebuild only really started in 2014. Six thousand businesses were forced out of the CBD on 22 February and it’s only really in the past two years that they’ve been able to return.”

The benefits of collaboration, bold thinking and just getting on with it are now showing through, she adds, and this is also how the future must be approached. 

“We are in such a unique position with our CBD. We’re the safest and newest city in New Zealand. We have energy-efficient buildings, smart technology and our business sector is resilient and adapted to change.”  

Watson believes the worst of the disruption is now over. But businesses moving back into the CBD should think through their relocation plans carefully, she advises. 

“They need to apply fresh and innovative thinking, really understand their market and who they’re trying to attract, their point of difference to their competitors, and think through how they’re going to connect with their customers.”

Businesses also need to be customer-centric and deliver exceptional customer service, she says, and think about the opportunities that come with a digital world. 

“Traditional bricks and mortar businesses must consider how they can also offer their products and services online. Social media also allows businesses to build an active and engaged community.

“Give some thought to what your brand stands for and what you can be doing online to share your story.” 

Millennials are driving a shift in demand to more sustainable products and services, Watson explains. “So how can your business be more impactful, and how can you tell this story through your promotional channels?”

All these boxes have been well and truly ticked by the three businesses profiled on the following pages.

Quick facts: Christchurch and its CBD

• The long term target for people living in the Christchurch CBD is 20,000. 5860 currently reside there. 
• By end of 2020 there’ll be more central city hotel accommodation than pre-earthquakes.
• There’s now a surplus of office space in the central city, making it a really competitive offering for businesses considering relocating.
• According to Statistics New Zealand, Christchurch’s population, now estimated at 381,500, has risen above pre-quake levels. In the year to June 2017 there was a net gain of 5600 migrants arriving, including returning Kiwis.