Downtown revamp to cost $500m

Artist impression of the waterfront and Quay St central Auckland. Photo / Supplied

Buyer of Queen Elizabeth Square plans special restyling of shopping mall site

Auckland will get something special for the downtown area from the sale of Queen Elizabeth Square by Auckland Council, says Precinct Properties chief executive Scott Pritchard.

Precinct is planning to spend about $500 million redeveloping the Downtown Shopping Mall into a 36-storey commercial tower rising from a three-storey retail podium.

"What we are working towards is an environment that is public-facing. We don't want an enclosed shopping mall," he said.

The company, which is using architects from Melbourne, San Francisco and local firm Warren & Mahoney, hopes to release plans by mid-January.

The privatisation of Queen Elizabeth Square was supported by a majority of councillors and two Maori Statutory Board members on the basis of two studies which said it was a poor public open space and officers' advice that the proceeds could be invested in better waterfront spaces.

The process and lack of public consultation was criticised by several councillors, including Chris Darby, Mike Lee, John Watson and Wayne Walker. The sale of the square triggers several of 16 projects in a new Downtown Framework, which was endorsed by the Auckland development committee yesterday.

These include an early start on the $2.4 billion city rail link at the Britomart end and under the Downtown Shopping Centre and moving buses to Lower Albert St and pedestrianising Lower Queen St at a cost of $8 million.

Councillor Cameron Brewer said the projects should be pared back, especially Quay St where there was no solution to where 30,000 cars a day would go.

The prospect of limiting part of Quay St is strongly opposed by residents of the eastern suburbs, who use Tamaki Drive and Quay St to commute to work.

Waterfront moves

• Auckland Council agrees to sale of Queen Elizabeth Square to Precinct Properties
• Proceeds to go towards improved waterfront spaces
• Council also endorses Downtown Framework of 16 projects