Auckland CBD’s dire state: Abandoned, vacant, unsold - why so many sorry sites?
While excitement is building about the opening of the new City Rail Link and the New Zealand International Convention Centre, some sites in Auckland CBD have been vacant for nearly four decades.
Just a block from the waterfront, directly opposite the shiny new $1 billion Commercial Bay, is one of the worst examples.
That is the Singaporean-owned former Food Alley.
It is an entire block fenced, most of its buildings levelled three years ago and now graffiti-covered between Albert St, Wolfe St and Federal St.
Plans for development on many other sites have long been abandoned or delayed.
The city is inhabited by the homeless and is seen by many as unsafe post-Covid.
Two key sites have been carparks for nearly 40 years:
- The ex-Auckland Star site between Fort St and Shortland St;
- The ex-Royal International Hotel site between Elliott St and Albert St and Victoria St.
So today we are bringing all this to life.
We are presenting in graphic form some of the key areas where buildings are empty, plans have been shelved, long-delayed, never materialised or places remain unsold.
Scroll through each of these below to find out what happened and why.