Development Potential

[deepred]

I've made good on my suggestion in the Welly Development thread (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=16695818&postcount=384) for areas with 'potential' but not already in the Summary of Developments list (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=536026).

My suggestions so far:

Vacant Sites (includes street-level car parks):

* The car park beside the Michael Fowler Centre (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=michale+fowler+centre,+wellington&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.288013,174.780142&spn=0.004523,0.01133&t=h&z=17&iwloc=A&om=1).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Vacant%20Plots/PC230071.jpg

* The car park on Boulcott St beside the Welly Central Church (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=60+boulcott+st,+wellington&sll=-41.288013,174.780142&sspn=0.004523,0.01133&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.28761,174.774692&spn=0.002261,0.005665&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr&om=1).

* Wash & Shop (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=200+wakefield+st,+wellington&sll=-41.291206,174.780078&sspn=0.009045,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.291697,174.781333&spn=0.002261,0.005665&t=h&z=18&om=1), behind Courtenay Central. Rumoured to be a possible site for a Courtenay Central art-house cinema.

* The former Caltex station on Wakefield St. (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=247+wakefield+st,+wellington&sll=-41.29206,174.782352&sspn=0.009045,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.291786,174.781988&spn=0.002261,0.005665&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr&om=1)

* The area behind (http://www.logicalcsihouse.co.nz/) Logical CSI House (http://www.logicalcsihouse.co.nz), 184 Willis St.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Vacant%20Plots/PC220063.jpg

* The Wilsons Parking car park on Cuba St. (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=151+cuba+St,+Wellington,+Wellington+6011,+New+Zealand&sll=-41.29335,174.775529&sspn=0.009044,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.293672,174.775679&spn=0.009044,0.022659&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1)

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Vacant%20Plots/PC230073.jpg

* The car park off Garrett & Bute Sts (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=14+bute+St,+Wellington,+Wellington+6011,+New+Zealand&sll=-41.293955,174.775368&sspn=0.002148,0.005665&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.293785,174.775051&spn=0.002148,0.005665&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr&om=1).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Vacant%20Plots/PC230078.jpg

* The car park beside Top Supermarket (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=240+willis+st,+Wellington,+Wellington+6011,+New+Zealand&sll=-41.293721,174.772139&sspn=0.008593,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.293503,174.771956&spn=0.002148,0.005665&t=h&z=18&om=1), right next to the SH1 Bypass southbound coming into the city.

Complete Re-development of Existing Sites:

* Willis-Mercer corner, opposite the Majestic Centre (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=107+willis+st,+wellington&sll=-41.289269,174.774958&sspn=0.001131,0.002832&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.288953,174.775462&spn=0.001131,0.002832&t=h&z=19&om=1).

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/PB190244.jpg

* ASB Corner on Victoria St (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=106+victoria+st,+wellington&sll=-41.289335,174.775786&sspn=0.009045,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.290021,174.77577&spn=0.002261,0.005665&t=h&z=18&om=1) (opposite the proposed Columbard Wgtn)

* The Oaks Complex on Cuba/Manners Mall. (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=104+manners+st,+wellington&sll=-41.291125,174.775529&sspn=0.004522,0.01133&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.291274,174.77716&spn=0.002261,0.005665&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr&om=1) Although a Warren-Mahoney design, it hasn't aged well. Still, the Oaks Noodle House upstairs is a decent cheap feed.

* BP on Taranaki/ Cable Sts (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=175+wakefield+st,+wellington&sll=-41.291383,174.779928&sspn=0.009045,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.291214,174.780427&spn=0.001131,0.002832&t=h&z=19&iwloc=addr&om=1).

* Tory on Cable St (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=60+cable+st,+wellington&sll=-41.29098,174.781553&sspn=0.002261,0.005665&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.291496,174.780775&spn=0.002261,0.005665&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr&om=1). The Portal Apartments are one way of satisfying both apartment developers and car dealers, by having a showroom on the ground floor.

* Top of Tory, 135 Tory St (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=139+Tory+St,+Wellington,+Wellington+6011,+New+Zealand&sll=-41.296881,174.779155&sspn=0.009044,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.296881,174.779198&spn=0.009044,0.022659&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1). Although conveniently located for central city shoppers, it's an inefficient use of space in its current form.

* The parking building (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=4+willeston+St,+Wellington,+Wellington+6011,+New+Zealand&sll=-41.286353,174.777546&sspn=0.009045,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.286897,174.777916&spn=0.002261,0.005665&t=h&z=18&om=1) on the corner of Jervois Quay & Willeston St, currently occupied by Tony's Tyre Service.

Refurbishments & Rooftop Additions:

* The former Defence House on Stout/Ballance St.
* T. G. Macarthy Trust Buillding, 58 Cuba St (http://zoomin.co.nz/?search/index&type=ADDRESS&q=58%20Cuba%20Street%2C%20Wellington%20Central%2C%20Wellington) (original location of Book Mark).

[Milan Luka]

[QUOTE=deepred;16990246]

* The car park beside the Michael Fowler Centre.

QUOTE]

That place would be perfect for Wellingtons first proper high rise apartment building. Central location, excellent views of the harbour. I say something around 30-35 storeys should be fine.

I think the area around the stadium could do with about 2000 new residents.

[kegan]

Great idea for a thread!:)

A few suggestions:

The mostly single storey building on the block bounded by Victoria St, Manners St, Bond St and St Hill Lane.
The Oaks Building (Cuba/Manners/Dixon) - I've always thought something taller would suit the site (at least 5 or 6 storey).
BP Petrol Station corner Taranaki/Cable - huge site, ideal for apartments. Do inner city petrol stations really need to be that big?
All car yards in Wakefield St - these are more suited to suburbia.

[deepred]

More additions made as described in the replies above. Added bonus - links to Google Maps (and Zoomin.co.nz) of approximate locations.

Milan - do you refer to the surplus railway land just north of the Cake Tin?

[Milan Luka]

^^ Yeah mate, so much space, so much potential.

Im sure there are a few spaces along Hobson St and Thorndon Quay that could be developed into some nice apartments. Also incorporate some into the upcoming wharf development too. Which I must admit I dont know too much about.

I think that part of the city could be opened up to high density living. Id never been up that part of the city but had to go to Australian Embassy. Was impressed with the neighbourhood. Wouldnt mind living there myself.

[deepred]

Additions made:

* Garrett-Bute Sts - maybe part of Cubana Apts?
* Car park beside Top Supermarket.

[kegan]

Another one:

The parking building/Tony's Tire Service corner Jervois Quay & Willeston Street. Very poor use of a central city site, especially the ground floor fronting Victoria and Willeston street.

[spleeen]

That carpark beside the Top Supermarket just off the motorway is the site of the new Conrad properties development.

It will be 400+ apartments they are 30% pre sold I'm not sure what stage the resource consent is at.

Other sights to consider are the warehouse stationary building on victoria and ex mighty mats building at 64 vivian street.

S

[deepred]

That carpark beside the Top Supermarket just off the motorway is the site of the new Conrad properties development.

It will be 400+ apartments they are 30% pre sold I'm not sure what stage the resource consent is at.

Other sights to consider are the warehouse stationary building on victoria and ex mighty mats building at 64 vivian street.

S
I was actually referring to the car park beside Top Supermarket. I haven't yet figured out how to pin-point locations by latitude/longitude, so the pointers may be a bit off course.

The car park opposite (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=192+victoria+st,+Wellington,+Wellington+6011,+New+Zealand&sll=-41.293221,174.772911&sspn=0.008593,0.022659&ie=UTF8&ll=-41.293221,174.772911&spn=0.008593,0.022659&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1) is the one earmarked for Conrad's Beaumont apartments.

The DomPost has reported that the Warehouse Stationery building on Victoria St has been sold, and the retailer's lease won't be renewed.

The former Mighty Mats will probably go to another commercial tenant.

[spleeen]

64 Vivian street sold yesterday for $2.9m $600k above expected price.

Most sites in the area are selling for $2800 psm this one went for over $4000 psm.

And it sold to an owner occupier.

[metroman]

What about the railyards, they were mentioned on an earlier post. Has there been any news on Shelley Bay. There was a story earlier about a proposal by one of the Maori tribes who wanted to build a tourist resort with a gondola, it was an exciting idea.:lol:

[deepred]

New pics updated:
*MFC Car park
*Wilsons car park on Cuba
*Car park off Garrett St.
*Car park behind Logical CSI House.

The railyards are still owned by Toll Holdings, still no sale date yet.

[nzman]

Can't see the MFC carpark being developed anytime soon.

[minimum chips]

This is a real moment for me guys. My first post in the threads of my beloved Wellington.

Heres a real out there proposal for ya. Can you envisage Kent/Cambridge Terrace developed as an upmarket super gorgeous avenue full of swanky apartments. Kinda a continuation of Oriental Parade. It can have some cafes and stuff but leave the bulk of that to Courtenay Place. Imagine being outside the Empire looking south to a Champs Elysees type view. Im getting all dizzy thinking about it now.

[Moveax]

Can't see the MFC carpark being developed anytime soon.

Considering that theres a sewer storage tank that was recently built underneath there I would have to agree. I don't think it's possible to build on it.

[kegan]

A few more for total redevelopment:

Bristol Court, cnr Cuba & Ghuznee (the Starmart)
the Video store on the corner of Marion & Ghuznee (VideoEzy?)
Briscoes in Taranaki Street

All are single storey buildings that don't make good use of the sights.

[harbour to heathrow]

Some more sites of possibility:

6-10 Vivian Street (former Mitre 10 Site now for sale on www.realcommercial.co.nz)

106 & 116 Taranaki Street (the Car yard and Video store right next to the briscos site). Combined with Briscos this makes a huge site

Virtually the whole city block between Taranaki Street, Abel Smith Street, Kelvin Grove and the bypass. Includes the huge car yard (no. 196) and brick-fronted warehouse (208) on Taranaki and the Holden(?) car yard on Abel Smith (no. 15)

Large site next to the Telecom complex at 69 Tory Street. Could extend into 26 Tennyson Street and warehouse at 11 Alpha Street

The whole Adelaide Rd/Rugby Street/Alfred Street block south of the Basin Reserve. Mostly car yards and warehousing, with the Caledonian Hotel on the corner. Will be very attractive to developers with Northerly aspect, Basin views, boundary with the very green Goverment House property and possible raising of the height limit coming from the current review of the Adelaide corridor

68 & 86 Vivian Street. Poor quality buildings on large sites fronting both Vivian and Jessie Streets. No. 86 was recently sold.

On other sites - the MFC Carpark is owned by the council and earmarked for a dedicated convention centre at some stage. The Wilsons Car park on Cuba street is owned by a developer. The council tried to negotiate a swap of this site with council-owned Glover park around the time that it was seen as a safety risk. They would have allowed Glover park to be built on and the Cuba site become a park. The owner wasn't interested and is happy to landbank with the parking income

[minimum chips]

Hi there and welcome harbour to heathrow (or would you mind h2h?)

I think you are track with many of those sites. The area south of Courtenay Place has many many places, sometimes close to entire blocks that are ripe for the picking!

[deepred]

The Wash 'n' Shop has shifted across the road to the former Caltex station. Anyone know if there's anything going here, apart from just another car dealership? It can't be the proposed Barrio Apartments (http://www.barrioapartments.co.nz/), since it wouldn't take up that much space.

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Vacant%20Plots/P4080005.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j132/deepred6502/Wellington%20-%20A%20City%20In%20Progress/Vacant%20Plots/?action=view&current=P4080005.jpg)

[de minimis]

The Wash 'n' Shop has shifted across the road to the former Caltex station. Anyone know if there's anything going here, apart from just another car dealership?

Just more temporary carparking :-(

[minimum chips]

The Lower Hutt waterfront really should be developed. Too industrial. Maybe it has been forgotten about because theres nothing to buffet the strong southerlies. All the same, the city looks magnificent from there, especially at night. Now that the Hutt Valley has started high rise apartments I cant help but think this would be a good place to build a few more.

[deepred]

Development potential sites have been added to the Wellington SkyscraperCity collection on Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.nz/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=111608684802522539964.000454b6f09e8f37e91f0&ll=-41.286901,174.786472&spn=0.033602,0.086861&t=h&z=14).

[metroman]

Shelley Bay is now in the hands of local Maori iwi. They are very keen to develop the site.

[deepred]

Rumours still abound of Peter Jackson having plans for part of the site...

DomPost 19/12/2008 - Tom Cardy: One museum to bring them all (http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/blogs/arts/2008/12/19/one-museum-to-bring-them-all/)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/blog/wp-content/uploads/shellybay.jpg

The annoucement over the purchase of Shelly Bay by the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust will spark lots of speculation about what the Miramar peninsula land will be used for. I have one Christmas wish: Peter Jackson uses part of it to expand his Wellington studio complex and opens a museum.

There have been rumours for the past few years about Jackson’s interest in Shelly Bay - especially because it’s only a few minutes drive from his studios and post production facilities peppered about Miramar. But officially Jackson has no plans at present.

If, however, Jackson and his company change their mind, it can’t be anything but good for the film industry and the city’s economy. What will be on the minds of millions of Jackson fans around the world though, is the possibility that it will include a museum to the film-maker’s numerous projects.

If it does include one, Wellington will have scored a tourist attraction like no other. Remember - people from all over the world come here every year to look at the places where The Lord of the Rings was shot. But that doesn’t involve seeing much that was actually in Jackson’s films. There are no props or evidence of filming lying around, except for a couple of dwellings at the former Hobbiton site in Matamata.

So imagine how many more tourists will converge on Wellington knowing they will actually be able to see props, costumes and many other aspects to the trilogy, along with King Kong and Jackson’s other movies. Factor in The Hobbit, which will undoubtedly renew interest and create new fans, and it’s likely to be a case of the hills are alive with the sound of ringing cash registers.

We already know people want to see exhibits about The Lord of the Rings. Lots and lots of people. When Jackson, his backers New Line Cinema and Te Papa collaborated on a touring Lords of the Rings exhibition it broke all previous attendance records at Te Papa pulling in 325,000 visitors. It was shown in 2002 and 2003, then brought back for a second time, with additions, for five months in 2006. It was also very popular when shown in Germany, in Boston in the United States, Singapore and London - where it attracted more than 250,000.

A King Kong exhibition at NewDowse in Lower Hutt last year was also a big drawcard.

Over the years Jackson and visual effects whiz Richard Taylor have both said they would love a museum - but have also pointed out the labyrinth of copyright and licensing rights that will have to be overcome or them to able to display items from their most recent films. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are the trickiest as they involves Hollywood studios New Line Cinema and MGM, producer Saul Zaentz who has held certain rights for many years, and JRR Tolkien’s estate.

This dream goes back nearly a decade. In March 2000, while the trilogy was still being filmed, Wellington City councillor Mary Varnham said the city could become a major destination for fans if a museum was set up. Varnham and then-mayor Mark Blumsky went to New York in February 2001 to discuss the idea with New Line Cinema - and returned saying it was far more complicated than they envisaged due to copyright and licensing. It was put on the backburner till 2002, when Mayor Kerry Prendergast asked Prime Minister Helen Clark for help in getting a permanent exhibition to showcase Lord of the Rings items.

But after that - nothing. The idea disappearing more quickly than the One Ring in the depths of Mt Doom. So let’s hope everyone involved - including the Tolkien Estate and Zaentz, who are in the middle of legal action against the studios for a bigger cut of film profits - come to their senses. Besides, they all stand to make some easy money, a factor that usually gets people co-operating.

Of course, having a Jackson museum begs the questions - what can he exhibit from his other films and what would visitors want to see? An exploding sheep from his debut Bad Taste? The Vietcong mongooses from Meet the Feebles? The blood-soaked lawn mower used to cut up rampaging zombies in Brain Dead or creepy ghosts from The Frighteners? The murder weapon from Heavenly Creatures?

Would you like to see a museum to Jackson’s films, as well as others from his team, including Weta Workshop and Weta Digital and what would you like to see displayed?

--------

[cle]

I've visited Wellington and think it's a great city. I have wondered why it isn't as big as it could be on the global stage, why tourism in NZ seems to sometimes gloss over it, why it's not the media hub of NZ, why big commercial firms aren't located there etc...

One could argue that it has developed without too much outside interest or world status and this has helped make it the place it is.

I think certain things could be developed or thought about to increase its global visibility as a 'destination' rather than somewhere to travel through. The sporting facilities could be upgraded to a world-class standard, for instance to make it capable of hosting the Commonwealth Games. There could be a huge music festival (Roskilde/Benicassim) or a big gay pride parade. Gaying it up a bit never hurts, as places like Buenos Aires have recently learnt.

In mind of the Chews Lane laneway, these could be further developed with cafes, bars, nightclubs and boutique shops across the city - obviously demand in Melbourne is higher due to population, but Wellingtonians certainly seem to eat and drink out more per capita, especially in the centre. I often think of Wellington as a mini-Melbourne. There's more life in central Wellington than central Brisbane or Adelaide I reckon, both of which are much bigger. All of those rather bleak, deserted streets around the southern edges of Cuba Street could be developed into an arty quarter.

The idea of an international pop/rock venue on this board is a good one. And a LoTR museum would be a great drawcard I think. I'm not sure how much New Line/Tolkien Estates own versus Peter Jackson/WETA, but I'm sure a deal could be done! The film industry is a great one for the city, and should go from strength to strength with the new Hobbit film, or two films even.

The waterfront is a huge asset which should be developed. That area near the Railway Station should be cleaned up and become the sports/music quarter. Elsewhere the ferry system should be encouraged further, and maybe a structural civil project such as a new iconic bridge would help - not sure where it would go though.

What ideas would you guys have to increase Wellington's appeal as a global tourist destination, put it on the map, give it a 'reputation' or make it known for something specific, and to win big businesses over Auckland? I realise not many of these are original, but few are these days!