The demolition of the empty buildings at the City Rail Link project's Mt Eden site has started today.
The Link Alliance, which is delivering the stations and tunnels of the City Rail Link, is managing the demolition work. Photo: RNZ / Liu Chen
The 30 buildings are in Flower, Nikau, Ruru, Shaddock and Ngahuru Streets, with the first demolition happening on Shaddock Street.
City Rail Link said it owns all of the buildings - it bought the first building to be demolished in 2012 and the last four years ago.
It said the demolition will happen in three stages and the first phase was due to be completed in March next year.
City Rail Link is a 3.45km underground tunnel aiming to better connect the city's rail network and is due for completion in 2024.
It's said to be the largest transport infrastructure project in the country, with the estimated cost rising from $3.4 billion to $4.4b earlier this year.
Dr Sean Sweeney, the chief executive of City Rail Link, said demolition was a significant and visible development for the project and the site will be "base camp for the substantial programme of construction to complete" the project.
"When these buildings have gone, the way will be clear for us to get below ground, complete the tunnels, build two underground stations, redevelop Mt Eden Station and then hand over a world class rail system an international city like Auckland deserves," he said.
The Link Alliance, which is delivering the stations and tunnels of the City Rail Link, is managing the demolition work.
Its deputy project director, Dale Burtenshaw, said measures were in place to reduce any impacts of the work.
"We have worked with a whole series of specialists to cover things like impacts on roads, dust and air quality, noise and vibration to come up with a set of management plans that align with our construction methodologies that basically minimise that impact of our work activities," he said.