Another hīkoi around the developments in the city centre
An update on the progress of developments and projects around the city centre in Tāmaki Makaurau.
It’s been five months since I last examined the progress of developments and projects currently under construction in the beating heart of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. As a city centre resident, I get a chance to watch the progress of these developments as they get closer to completion. Today, we’ll take another hīkoi (walk) around the city centre and check on the progress of these projects.
We’ll start at Wynyard Quarter, where 30 Daldy Street, will be the new home to One New Zealand in late 2025 has topped out with cladding starting to be installed on the lower floors. Located next door is the site of Northbrook Wynyard Quarter, where early works began on bringing this 154-apartment luxury retirement village to life. Across Daldy St and down Tīramarama Way to Wynyard Quayside, where the signage is up for anchor tenant Beca and cladding is up on the building apart from the frontage facing onto Pakenham Street and a low-rise building facing Halsey St is still under construction. The development is due to be completed in early 2025.
We go to Albert St, where the interior fit-out of 50 Albert St is well underway, with the furniture moved in, the artwork, bike parking and the planter boxes being installed. I had a chance to get a preview of the pedestrian connection being built between Albert St and Mills Lane as part of the development. The development will be the new home of Spark from next year. Across the road at 51 Albert St, the interior fit-out is still ongoing with the completed apartments on the top floors now for sale, with breathtaking views all around Tāmaki Makaurau.
Down the road, works are underway on the remediation project on Auckland District Court, which is being delivered by Crown-owned company Rae Paenga. Across the road, the 20-story 92 Albert St is being converted to the 231-room Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, which is expected to be completed in mid-2025.
We’ll take a look at the New Zealand International Convention Centre bordered by Hobson, Nelson and Wellesley St. Which is getting closer to being completed next year. Streetscape works on Hobson St outside the Horizon Hotel have been completed.
On Victoria St, the transformation of the road continues thanks to the construction of Te Hā Noa: a linear park between Kitchener and Federal St and Te Waihorotiu Station is taking shape, with sections of the linear park open between Queen and Elliott St and Kitchener and High St outside the Victoria St Carpark. At the Victoria St entrance to Te Waihorotiu Station, wayfinding is being added to the station entrance with trees planted and bike parking installed next to the cycleway being built as part of Te Hā Noa.
On Elliott St by Victoria St, tables have been recently added for outdoor dining to support local eateries.
On Wellesley St, works are ongoing on Stage 1 of the Wellesley St Bus Improvements between Queen and Albert St, which is due to be completed in late 2025. The improvements will see improved bus priority, wider footpaths, improved bus facilities, utility upgrades and new seating to support the thousands of people who travel to and from Te Waihorotiu Station every day when the station opens in 2026. On Mayoral Dr, in front of the Wellesley St entrance to Te Waihorotiu Station, streetscape works have begun with new footpaths currently being built.
We now go to Campbell House, a 738-apartment student accommodation complex for AUT students, due to be completed in October 2025. The building emerged from behind the 1929 facade with floors added and cladding started to be put on the lower floors, fronting onto Mayoral Dr.
In the heart of the AUT campus on St Paul St, postgraduate students from AUT’s School of Art and Design in collaboration with Auckland Council have completed a semi-permanent street upgrade with car parks turned into a new seating area, bike parking and planter boxes.
We’ll walk through Myers Park to the Karanga-a-Hape Station neighbourhood to have a look at the progress of the Karangahape Bus and Neighbourhood Improvements, also known as Project K. The project consists of bus stop improvements, cycleways, and wider footpaths on the surrounding streets of Karanga-a-Hape Station. So far, part of a cycleway and improvements to a bus stop on Pitt St outside the YMCA is finished. On Mercury Lane, it will open as a shared space when completed with a decision to be made if the road will become a pedestrian plaza following the opening of Karanga-a-Hape Station in 2026. The full project is expected to be completed in October 2025.
We conclude by looking at the progress of Karanga-a-Hape Station, with the sky element facade on the Mercury Lane entrance completed and the exterior fit-out continuing on the Beresford Square entrance with works occurring on the public realm upgrades to Beresford Square. It’s great to see more of these projects in the city centre in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland starting to come together and I look forward to seeing more of the progress as we get closer to the opening of the City Rail Link. We’ll start to see what opportunities will be unlocked for creating a great city centre for people.
