Caledonian Hotel stripped

Auckland demolition contractor Ivan Yukich was back on the job pulling down another of Napier's historic buildings yesterday - but was quick to point out some of it will be going to a good home.

Watching heavy machinery punching and ripping holes through the Hastings St frontage of the century-old former Caledonian Hotel he said part of yesterday's stage was to get access to 3000 metres of matai stacked in a tiny central courtyard in the three-story building.

Asked what sort of market there would be for the timber, part of the hotel when it was built in 1908 and having survived the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, he said: "Not here in Hawke's Bay, but it will go all right up in Auckland."

Interior work stripping of what is also known as the Commercial Building started last month, but yesterday's work was the first demolition visible from the streets, a job he expects to be completed within six weeks.