It was demolished to make way for the University of Otago’s Health Science Precinct Master Plan.
University property and campus development director Tanya Syddall said the space in Malcolm St (State Highway 1) was one of several on the same block which had been cleared and earmarked for new health science buildings which would be education-focused, containing shared "superlabs" and a wet lab teaching space.
Earlier this year, the last of the buildings at 63 and 65 Frederick St were also removed, to make way for the planned facility.
The site contained the Naylor family house, built by Hugh Naylor in 1923.
Over the past year and a-half, the site has been cleared by Ann Naylor (Hugh Naylor’s granddaughter), with the aim of recycling or re-using much of the building materials, rather than just demolishing it.
She managed to re-purpose much of the material into building an accommodation lodge at the Waitati Valley Equestrian Centre.
The university’s 25-year campus master plan stated the potential of the health precinct would be realised if the university acquired most of the block bounded by Frederick, Great King, Cumberland and Albany Sts.
Ms Syddall said the university did not have any building plans or a construction timeline yet.
"In the interim, the [former Pizza Hut] site will be used as additional car parking."
