Invercargill's historic Anderson House is being earthquake strengthened.

The Invercargill City Council (ICC) owned homestead, was closed in January 2014 after it was identified as a serious earthquake risk.

ICC Venues and Events manager Richard McWha said earthquake strengthening work so far had included demolishing four chimneys that posed a falling brick hazard, with a new timber chimney structure for two of the chimneys built and put in place by a crane.

“It’s great to be finally able to get to work on this beautiful building, and to have so much already ticked off the list so far is very exciting.”

Seismic brackets, wall reconstruction and the addition of seismic brackets, resealing and repairing window sashes and double hung windows and the running of new cabling for fire alarms and detectors were all now complete, he said.

Floor and roof strengthening was another job yet to be ticked off.

Anderson House had been rated at a seismic strength of less than 10 per cent New Building Standards.

“Without strengthening the home cannot be safely entered by the public. The current seismic upgrade and maintenence will make it safe and help protect it for future generations,” Mr McWha said.

The project was likely to be finished by mid-year, he said.