The lovely French Gothic-style beauty reopened with a special service on Thursday after being left to the vagaries of time for almost 40 years.

Saving beauty

Built in 1929, the chapel boasts a marble altar, stained-glass windows and a soaring ceiling.

The chapel is considered one of the most important interiors in New Zealand, certainly in Wellington.

Much work was needed to save and strengthen it.

Ian Cassels

Ian Cassels, who bought the abandoned site in 2000, looked to develop it into housing but ran into opposition from heritage groups.

In 2018 the Environment Court ruled he could demolish the school buildings but not the chapel — which had to be saved and strengthened.

"It's been a 23-year struggle" Cassles told 1News.

Cassels said he was "deliriously happy" with how it looked but regretted the legal battle.

"We always knew we'd be here one day. And yeah, it's wonderful."

Returning it to its former glory has cost Cassels at least $7 million - about twice the amount he expected.

"My partner and I, Caitlin Taylor and myself, we are basically the ones paying for it."

Cassels says it has been a privilege to restore this building.

"We can't get away from our past, we must honour it and cherish it and do that. But it's left to individuals basically.

"It really is a big question in New Zealand. Like, heritage should be supported and funded by the community, but that doesn't happen."

Nicola Young

Nicola Young, a former pupil and now a Wellington City Councillor, has also been very instrumental in the chapel's restoration.

She has seen it come full circle.

"It's a wonderful venue," she said.

"I hope that I have my funeral here - but not yet" she emphasised with a grin.

Young calls the restored chapel a fantastic asset to the city.

The chapel was once part of Erskine College, a Catholic girls' school that closed in 1985. Now 97 townhouses occupy the former school grounds.

Young says the project is a "huge win" for housing.

"We need to do more of this kind of thing and make it easier for people that want to do it."

As a visitor to the Chapel at Sunday's open day was overheard saying, "See good things happen."

Heritage stamp of approval

Heritage New Zealand's Jamie Jacobs says the chapel building was of huge significance.

"This chapel is one of the most important interiors in New Zealand, certainly Wellington. It's one of the finest French Gothic buildings probably anywhere," he says.

In answering a question from 1News about conserving old buildings, Jacobs replied, "Everything doesn't need to be saved but a lot of things should be saved."

A well-attended open day was held on Sunday, and now the chapel can be hired as a venue for weddings and events.

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• 1News

While St Gerard's future is ultimately up to the owners, the church - built in 1908 for the Redemptorists - could be deconsecrated so it could be used for events like weddings and funerals, suggests City Councillor Iona Pannett!

The monastery building - which was was added in 1932 - could also be strengthened and converted to housing, she says.

"Given there is a housing crisis, obviously we want to maximise the space that we have."

Pannet, who leads the city's heritage portfolio, says it is "highly unlikely" that St Gerard's will be demolished.

"I think there would be a public outcry," she says.

"It's very hard to demolish a listed heritage building. In that case finding a strengthening solution is really important.

"I love the building, it adds something to Wellington, and the council has supported them [ICPE] but that is not going to be enough," Pannett says.

She thinks costs to strengthen the buildings will probably go above $13m.

Pannett says Heritage New Zealand's rules will allow for changes to be made to the building and its inside does not have heritage protection.

Another Wellington city councillor, Nicola Young​ says the buildings are a significant part of Wellington's landscape.

She wants to see the buildings saved and hopes they can be repurposed into apartments or a hotel.

The big red brick Category 1 heritage building overlooking Oriental Bay has been "yellow-stickered" since the Christchurch earthquakes.

Its last service after 113 years will be held on Pentecost Sunday, May 23. It will be celebrated by the Catholic Archbishop of Wellington, Cardinal John Dew​.

From then on, the fate of the quake-prone church and monastery buildings - rated at 25 per cent of the New Zealand building standard - remains unclear.

Its owners, ICPE Mission New Zealand, tried to raise funds to get the buildings up to code but, by July 2020, had only raised $42,000 of the $11 million needed. It is understood the cost is now $13m.

ICPE Mission made the decision to close the buildings in consultation with the Archdiocese of Wellington.

"Both buildings have category 1 Heritage New Zealand ratings. The ICPE Mission has yet to decide their future," ICPE Mission New Zealand director Silvana Abea says.

She says the Covid-19 pandemic means for the second year running the ICPE's School of Mission could not take place, with overseas missionaries and students unable to attend.

"At the same time, the reality of a large building that needs serious earthquake strengthening has led the ICPE Mission to rethink our long-term presence in Wellington and look at new ways of being Christ's presence in the city."

Historic Places Wellington chairwoman Felicity Wong​ is full of praise for the ICPE.

"The ICPE have looked after that building, and have made it open and welcoming to the people of Wellington.

"The church has a special place in Wellington's landscape and is an important heritage building," she says.

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• Stuff
• Scoop
• Image: Flickr