Giving Queen a makeover

By KATHERINE HOBY

Auckland City is investigating any and all ideas to improve Queen St, the sometimes dowdy, sometimes exciting heart of the country's biggest city.

Although nothing has been decided, the city has set aside $250,000 to begin the research.

Councillor Mark Donnelly, of the central business district project team, said views were being sought from people with residential, commercial and business interests. He said it was necessary to consider the Queen St plans with other work under way in the CBD.

The implications of major projects such as the Britomart station, due to open in June, needed to be taken into account when considering any revamp.

One idea, still at the drawing board stage, is the support and development of precincts or "quarters" in the CBD, including transport, commerce, recreation, education, nightlife, fashion and retail. Queen St would be included in a retail and business style precinct.

The upgrade is part of the city's strategy to develop the CBD as the country's economic and cultural capital. It aims to make Queen St more attractive and user-friendly.

Queen St took over from Shortland St as the city's main drag only in the 1860s when health and pollution problems from the Ligar Canal were finally solved.

Even then it had a name as a den of iniquity with Vulcan Lane - nicknamed "Vulture's Lane" - the home of prostitutes, peddlers and larrikins, according to 140-year-old reports.

The boom-and-bust nature of the city is still etched there, in the mirror glass of the 1980s edifices and the imposing imperial facade of the 1925 Alliance Assurance building, built to look like its head office far away in London.

Today, according to Mr Donnelly, the street is operating below its potential.

"Auckland's CBD is crucial to the economic and cultural development of the city and New Zealand as a whole," he said.

Work has already begun in order to understand how the district works and identify opportunities for development.

Businesses in the area and interested organisations will have input.

Auckland City has also approved an allocation of $19 million for funding the Victoria Park carpark, development of the Quay St area, footpath renewal, pedestrian signs, a Karangahape Rd upgrade, an Aotea Square and Aotea Centre upgrade, and the redesign of the Mayoral Drive and Wellesley St intersection.

The council's manager of community planning, Jo Wiggins, said she would like to see some Queen St buildings lit at night. Owners were being consulted.

Practical issues needed to be considered when it came to changes, for example the street's geography as a valley.

"We've got most of what it takes," she said. "We've got a lot of natural potential."

Feedback had indicated the need for more "places for people" such as meeting places, leaning posts and rain shelters.

Design ideas were being drawn up on the feasibility of having a moveable suite of outdoor furniture.

The council planned to have a concept agreed on by December.

Heart of the City chief executive Alex Swney envisions a Queen St with wider footpaths, two generous road lanes and more native plants "to remind us where we live".

"The biggest mistake would be not to differentiate it from other main streets," he said.

"We suffer from a lack of identity in this city - and that all starts from Queen St."

The four-lane road that runs the length of the street was one of the main problems.

"It's not pedestrian-friendly. We need to make it that way."

Mr Swney said the worst thing that could be done was to wait too long to start the project.

Ideas for Queen St

Lighting some of the shops and buildings at night to make the area safer and more attractive.

Rain shelters, leaning posts and more "places for people" to meet.

The development of individual "quarters" in the CBD including Queen Street in the retail and business sector.

Moveable suites of outdoor furniture.

What now?

After consultation with interested parties, the Auckland City Council CBD project team will work up two or three concepts, due to be completed by December.

The public will then be given their say on the ideas.

Your ideas

Do you have an idea to enliven Queen St? Fax the Herald on 09 373-6421, email Email Newsdesk or write to Queen St, The New Zealand Herald, PO Box 32, Auckland.