Uncertain future for Auckland's historic St James Theatre

One of New Zealand's historic theatres faces the prospect of an "indefinite mothballing," Auckland City Councillors have been told, due to work stalling on its planned $67 million restoration project.

In a memo to the Council's Planning Committee members meeting this week, Council Heritage Manager Noel Reardon advised "the current situation ... remains at a standstill with the prospect of a possible sale of the site(s), and of a new owner perhaps proposing a new version of the full project, although there appears to be little prospect of such a party eventuating from within New Zealand, and none yet from elsewhere. The possible alternative is an indefinite mothballing of the theatre."

Commenting on the position of the theatre's restoration, which ceased in 2017, Councillor Cathy Casey told the NZ Herald “the landmark theatre sits abandoned after an adjacent apartment development - intended to provide support services for the theatre's restoration - lost funding."

The building at 314 Queen Street was opened in 1928 and has seen Sir Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, the Bolshoi Ballet, Black and White Minstrels and Cats perform on its stage.

Having been damaged while used as a rock music venue, a succession of developers in the current century have sought to develop the site as a residential tower while restoring the venue.

Around 2015, the St James' future appeared hopeful with the migrant Li family planning the adjacent 39-level 309-unit St James Suites apartment tower and retail and urban design entrepreneur Steve Bielby committing to upgrading the theatre.

Amid talks of a $70 million refurbishment, work started on the project with builders on site, stall seats removed and the floor dug up for a new seismic base isolating system to be installed.

However, in December 2015, the neighbouring apartment project was axed due to lack of funding and the St James restoration slowed.

Nonetheless Bielby has always remained hopeful about the project but advised in March this year, that work "stopped on the site in August 2017".

He went on to advise “the theatre is essentially reliant on the neighbouring development going ahead in some capacity. The future of the two sites were always linked.

"I'm still hopeful we can save this building but things are not looking as certain as they were prior to the collapse of the neighbouring development."

Now Auckland Council is aware of the uncertain future for the venue.

Images: The exterior of the 1928 St James Theatre (top) and its now removed stall seats (below).