Auckland CBD to get $133 revamp – here’s how it will look

Auckland Council has unveiled an $133 million plan to revamp a large section of the CBD.

The regeneration of midtown – the area surrounding Aotea Square, which takes in the Sky Tower, Town Hall, Civic Theatre and Art Gallery, as well as two universities and two parks – was announced on Tuesday morning.

The project will be carried out across the next five years and coincide with the completion of the City Rail Link’s Aotea Station which, when opened, is anticipated to be the busiest station in the country.

In its midtown programme, the council says the area is designed to be a place where “our history, art and culture can be seen and heard and will spill out into public life; where people choose to spend time and socialise; a place that is attractive and feels inclusive and safe.”

Among the projects helping to achieve these aims are:

• CRL Aotea Station – the design of which won a World Architecture Festival WAFX cultural identity award in 2019
• Stage 1 of the Wellesley St bus improvements project (Albert St to Queen St) – an upgraded environment for bus users and pedestrians
• Stage 1 of Te Hā Noa – Victoria St Linear Park (Albert St to Kitchener St)
• Federal St upgrade, extension of the shared path laneway circuit
• Wai Horotiu Queen St Project
• Myers Park underpass upgrade
• Aotea over station development by MRCB, enabled by Eke Panuku
• High St upgrade
• Hobson St upgrade (Victoria St to Wellesley St)
• Aotea Centre refurbishment
• Completion of the Albert St upgrade between Wyndham St and Wellesley St