New life for historic building

It has taken blood, sweat and vinegar to give Queenstown's former high school building and arts centre a new life.

School House Studios officially opened at Country Lane, opposite Queenstown Events Centre in Frankton, on Saturday, providing beautiful airy, light spaces for local creatives. But the serene interior and stunning exterior finish hides a mountain of hard work and determination which was needed to save the 84-year-old building.

After its school days, the weatherboard building had been home to the Queenstown Arts Society for 20 years on the downtown Stanley Street site. More than 50 artists had passed through over the years, but when Queenstown Lakes District Council began work on the new arterial road and preparation for Project Manawa, it was threatened with demolition.

Step forward, former Queenstown Arts Society president Diane Hart.

Hart spearheaded a plan to move the building out to Country Lane and into the care of the Grant family, sisters-in-law Tineke Enright and Annika Grant. She got the ball rolling under Mayor Jim Boult, but it stalled when Glyn Lewers took the chains. Lewers says he'd thought it would be an easy thing to get done but "political machinations" got in the way, so it needed the passion and pressure from Hart to get it over the line.

"Diane would turn up to every public meeting and absolutely give me the vinegar about this building," Lewers says, at the opening. "Her efforts have paid off because it looks absolutely stunning."

 

The project was finally given the green light and last July, the building was cut in half, loaded onto a truck and moved to Country Lane by Mark McNeilly and his team at McNeilly Heavy Haulage.

"It was a skeleton with only one side weatherboarded and the rest bare bones framing," says project leader Annika Grant.

Mike Kelly's Tahuna Building got to work, renovating the inside and outside, saving as much of the old structure and materials as possible, while giving it a complete overhaul, based around a central corridor, connecting the various studios and spaces, many with picturesque old-school style windows and high ceilings. FB Painting completed the finish.

"Thanks to Mike, we've got to this stage within six months," Grant says. "They've put in ridiculous hours, because I was saying 'I want it open before summer is over', so a big shout out to them, putting in the hours over Christmas, doing everything needed."

Tineke Enright says there was a real risk the building would be lost forever "but thanks to incredible community spirit and a whole lot of determination, especially from the legendary Diane (Hart), we were able to save it".

"Bringing this building here and beathing new life into it has certainly been a labour of love and I'd like to thank everyone who played a part in that.

"But what's really going to bring the building to life is the people in it, and we're really excited to see the creativity that comes out of School House Studios. This isn't just another building, it's part of Queenstown's history, and it's here to stay."

 

An eclectic range of artists have already moved in, including Nina Chen, who runs the Tikki Sewing Studio, teaching sewing to kids and adults.

"All of us moved in about a week ago to set up," Chen says. "There are seven of us and it already feels like a community, everyone looking towards the same goal to have this creative space.

"It's so beautiful. I'd been in the building when it was in town, to do a pottery class, but it seems now to have more light and life. I'm so happy Country Lane, Annika and Tineke, has made this happen and made us feel so comfortable."

Queenstown is second only to Wellington on the Creative Index, and Lewers, in his speech at the opening, says he believes the studios, along with Te Atamira in Remarkables Park, will continue to provide a platform for artists and bring us closer together as a community.

Meanwhile, Hart says she's "absolutely delighted" to finally see the building in a new home and fully restored.

"Thank you to the Grants because it's really special. All you have to do is believe and open up, and the universe opens up for you."