The building, which was constructed in the early 1970s as part of the former teachers college, takes up a large section of the eastern side of the Callaghan campus.

In addition to comprising a significant part of the campus' teaching space, the Griffith Duncan Theatre and Huxley Library are also located in the building.

Concerns about the building's structural integrity emerged following the 1989 earthquake.

These were compounded by the presence of asbestos.

Vice Chancellor Alex Zelinsky told staff this week that the university would gradually vacate the building.

"While the university has continued to take appropriate preventative, industry-standard safety measures, this is not sustainable into the longer term for a building that has reached end-of-life," professor Zelinsky said.

"The university recently commissioned a further feasibility study to determine the future of the building. The study shows that the time and cost required to upgrade the building's features is prohibitive due to the building fabric and age.

"Based on this information, the university has determined that there will be no plans to undertake a major refurbishment of the building.

"The university has therefore decided to vacate in a staged and orderly manner the Hunter Building. We are committed to continuing our proactive safety controls while we progressively move activities from the building."

The university has commenced the relocation of teaching activities from the Hunter Building.

It is expected the university will have fully vacated the building by mid-2021.

Professor Zelinsky said the Huxley Library and specialised teaching spaces on levels A and B would continue to be used until alternative arrangements are put in place.

"Please be reassured that these new measures are being taken with staff and student wellbeing and safety as the priority," he said.

"The current Hunter Building asbestos management plan has been in place for some time. It will continue until the building is fully vacated."

The university is yet to reveal its plans for the site.

The decision to vacate the building comes as the university considers the future of the 150 hectare bushland campus.

Professor Zelinsky told the Newcastle Herald late last year that he saw possibilities for a hospital, school and hotel on the campus.

READ MORE:

"We have got the Newcastle CBD campus and that's been very successful; it's led to a bit of rejuvenation of the CBD. There's been the suggestion that we should just move Callaghan down there. That's just not going to happen, it's not practical," he said last year.

"We have got a lot of great assets here that just wouldn't be appropriate to put into the CBD. So the idea is to, what I describe as, turn the campus inside out."

"So you could imagine we could have a private hospital built here, for example. That would allow our nursing and medical students to do training there. You could even imagine having a school on the campus. That would allow our teacher educators to do that. We could build a hotel on the campus. We can invite industry onto the campus to have their offices here."

A 2011 report into the building's structural condition highlighted a range of problems. These included the presence of unremediated asbestos in the building's undercroft and in the ceilings of Level A.

It also noted serious problems with many of the building's concrete fascia beams and blade columns.

"The concrete fascia beams of the eastern facade of the Hunter Building generally appear to be in poor condition," the report said.

"There is spalled concrete and corroded reinforcement visible at a number of areas on the external faces of the fascia beams"

The report said the building's problems meant it was not possible to accurately assess its life expectancy.

"Many major structural elements of the area of the Hunter Building that was investigated have been found to be showing signs of deterioration and require addressing by further investigation and then probable remediation or possibly replacement or removal," the report said.

While you're with us, did you know the Newcastle Herald offers breaking news alerts, daily email newsletters and more? Keep up to date with all the local news - sign up here

IN THE NEWS: