[1] When the MAC was destroyed in the 1931 Napier earthquake,[2] there were plans to build a new school and construction of CCNZ began in 1952.

LDS Church president David O. McKay initially went to New Zealand to downsize the building programme.

After visiting the project, McKay was so impressed with what he saw and felt he decided to add two more buildings to the school's construction.

The mission president, Gordon C.Young, drove out to the area, and when first seeing the site as he drove over a nearby hill where he pictured in his mind white buildings on the property and immediately felt this was the place the LDS Church was to build a school.

The temple foundations were put in place after McKay selected the site while visiting the college building work.

There were specialist plumbing, electrical, painting, welding, mechanic and other crews for the construction of the many facilities.

Supervisors for these crews were called from the U.S.[8] They came with their families, and helped greatly with the overall communal life of the building missionaries.

[9] After it was closed, LDS Church leaders had planned to demolish parts of the school site and convert it into farmland.

The LDS Church later decided that demolition of key buildings was no longer on the agenda and formally withdrew its application from the local city council.