Musicians' haunt to make way for apartments

SEEKING NEW DIGS: Musician Warner Emery, who will have to move out for 181 Tasman St before it is demolished to make way for a new apartment building. A haven for musicians that has hosted bands such as The Phoenix Foundation will be demolished to make way for an apartment building. The building at 181 Tasman St was home to Lee Prebble's The Surgery, one of the pre-eminent recording studios in Wellington. The Phoenix Foundation used The Surgery to mix all their albums, including the latest, Fandango, released this month. Prebble is moving the studio to Newtown and hopes to open in a month. However, some of the less- well-known tenants may struggle to find somewhere else. Phoenix Foundation member Sam Scott said the band had a lot of affection for The Surgery. "It's pretty dear to our hearts," he said. "But the main thing is, Lee is setting up somewhere else, which means we're not too sad about it." The loss was bigger for other musicians who used 181. "Lee's always supported them," he said. "Wellington is fast running out of places for artists like that. "It's a bit of a nail in the coffin." Prebble said musicians might have to look outside the central city in future. "I feel like there's going to be a big flight towards Petone and the Hutt," he said. "I was lucky to find a place - I was looking for about a year. There are spaces out there but they are often temporary." Musician and producer Warner Emery set up Emery Music Services at 181 a year ago. He was philosophical about the demolition, but said it would be hard to find another place. "It's been on the cards for a long, long time." The building will be demolished, along with the former body shop next door, as part of a new 39-apartment three-storey development. Developer Mike Lee said demolition work had begun on the body shop, where asbestos needed to be removed from a boiler and the garage area. Work on the first 15 apartments on the body shop site should be done by the end of the year. Demolition of 181 Tasman St, and construction of 24 more apartments, would then begin. The apartments have been designed by Wellington architects Novak and Middleton. "I hope everybody views it positively," Mr Lee said. "Our design is modern . . . what we're doing is relatively low-profile. It's not a high-rise or anything like that." Tasman St building makes way for apartments ALEX FENSOME