Midtown Makeover
With the construction of what will be New Zealand’s busiest train station, City Rail Link’s (CRL) Aotea Station, beginning to take shape above ground, Auckland Council and Auckland Transport announced this month a $133 million programme to regenerate Tāmaki Makaurau’s Midtown over the next five years.
The Midtown area radiates from Aotea Square, including landmarks like the historic Auckland Town Hall, Civic Theatre, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and SkyTower, two universities and two city parks.
Council described the renaissance of Midtown as designed to be, ‘a part of Auckland 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.’
Several street upgrades and other urban developments across the neighbourhood will prepare Midtown for the significant increase in people travelling in and out of the city centre daily once Aotea Station is complete.
The projects in the programme include:
CRL Aotea Station
Stage 1 of the Wellesley Street bus improvements project (Albert Street to Queen Street) – an upgraded environment for bus users and pedestrians
Stage 1 of Te Hā Noa - Victoria Street Linear Park (Albert Street to Kitchener Street)
Federal Street upgrade, extension of the shared path laneway circuit
Wai Horotiu Queen Street Project
Myers Park underpass upgrade
Aotea over station development by MRCB, enabled by Eke Panuku
High Street upgrade
Hobson Street upgrade (Victoria Street to Wellesley Street)
Aotea Centre refurbishment
Completion of the Albert Street upgrade between Wyndham St and Wellesley St
For more on what’s ahead for Midtown, read about these transformational moves and outcomes in Auckland Council’s City Centre Masterplan: