The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority now believes that about 1200 buildings will be demolished in the commercial areas of Christchurch.
The toll includes 900 buildings within the four avenues - the area within Moorhouse, Bealey, Fitzgerald and Deans avenues.
A further 300 buildings will be demolished in commercial areas throughout the suburbs.
[image:1954:half:right]The list does not include residential properties to be demolished.
Many buildings have already been demolished, leaving large gaps in the central city, but there are still hundreds more to come down.
The quake recovery authority's demolitions manager, Warwick Isaacs, says demolition has slowed now that a national state of emergency has been lifted.
Mr Isaacs says under Civil Defence legislation, buildings could be taken down quickly, but the recovery authority has to adhere to a different process.
The shopping area around Cashel Mall will be its first priority.
Once building owners have been advised, Mr Isaacs expects that demolition could begin in weeks and be completed within three months.
He says the central city will have changed greatly by the time the public is allowed back into Cashel St in late October in time for Cup and Show Week in November, and will shock people seeing it for the first time.
Listen to Checkpoint interview with Warwick Isaacs