Work has begun to transform the derelict Antonio Hall site on Riccarton Road into a student accommodation village with more than 450 beds.

Mainland Capital confirmed to chrislynchmedia.com site preparation started on 2 June at the 265 Riccarton Road property, the first physical step in the redevelopment after nearly 15 years of vacancy.

The 1.5-hectare site has stood empty since the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.

Fires in 2019 and 2021 left the original building beyond practical repair, and its heritage listing was removed late last year after the Christchurch City Council deemed the structure unsalvageable.

The property sits 700 metres south of the University of Canterbury. Mainland Capital secured it late last year in an off-market deal brokered by CBRE.

The development will take its design cues from the traditional mews typology, built around central courtyards and shared amenities.

“Student accommodation is one of the fastest-growing investment sectors globally,” Mainland Capital executive director Ben Bridge said.

“Christchurch has seen very little institutional development in this space despite strong student growth, so opportunities of this scale and proximity to campus are exceptionally rare.”

The University of Canterbury recorded 27,000 enrolments in 2025, its highest in 150 years and a 44 percent rise over five years. The university’s share of national enrolments grew from 8.8 percent in 2016 to 12.3 percent in 2025.

“Enrolment growth has outstripped the university’s ability to meet accommodation demand within its own halls or residence, pushing an increasing number of students into a private rental market that is ill-suited to their needs,” said Chris Scott, who heads finance and acquisitions at Mainland Capital.

The site has wide frontage to Riccarton Road, one of Christchurch’s main arterial routes, and is within walking distance of Westfield Riccarton and Bush Inn Shopping Centre.

“This was the only site in Christchurch that met the criteria of what we were looking for; proximity to campus, appropriate zoning, and the scale to deliver a standard of accommodation that students here have not previously had access to,” Scott said.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger welcomed the plans in 2025, describing the project as creating “much-needed accommodation close to the University of Canterbury.”

“There is real sadness about what happened to the original building, and we share that. Our intention is to honour what this site has always stood for; community, learning and a home for students in our city,” Scott said.

Antonio Hall is the second dormant Christchurch landmark Mainland Capital has moved to revive.

The firm is also redeveloping the former Noah’s Hotel on Oxford Terrace into the Sheraton Christchurch, a joint venture worth more than $150 million with Russell Property Group, due to open in mid-2027.