21 October 2014

ST JAMES THEATRE A STEP CLOSER TO RE-OPENING FOLLOWING SALE OF SITE

Aucklands iconic St James Theatre is a step closer to re-opening, with the sale of its site to
a new owner who is committed to preserving the building and seeing it used as a
performance venue once again.
As part of its purchase of 302 Queen Street, new owner Relianz Holdings will work with the
Auckland Notable Properties Trust to conduct a thorough evaluation of work required to re-
open the St James Theatre.
The sale will also result in construction of a fully consented 39-story residential tower (the St
James Suites), a 3,000 square metre retail precinct and 195 car park spaces, in a
development to be led by Elemental Construction Solutions (ECS).
ECS Director and Relianz Holdings Development Director, Mike Gibbon says the project will
rejuvenate the area known as the Aotea Quarter, while catering for the continued growth of
population in and around the city centre.
Construction will see the generation of thousands of jobs in the city in what amounts to
another boon for Auckland as construction projects continue to revitalise the city, he says.
But perhaps the most significant contribution to greater Auckland is the potential to re-open
the famed St James Theatre.
An agreement has been signed between Relianz Holdings and the Auckland Notable
Properties Trust with the intention of working in partnership towards upgrading the theatre to
modern and safe standards for a potential re-opening.
Auckland Mayor Len Brown believes a re-opened St James Theatre would be a fantastic
result for all Aucklanders.
The St James Theatre is an icon of Auckland in the truest sense, says Mayor Brown.
Preserving the St James and seeing it re-opened has been a high priority for Auckland
Council and for me personally, so it is great to see the private sector taking a big step
towards that.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the people of Auckland and anyone who has fond
recollections of the theatre.
Initially opened in 1928, the theatre has been closed since 2007 as a result of a fire in a
neighbouring building.
Prior to its closure, the St James was one of Aucklands most popular cultural venues and
has seen the likes of Lawrence Olivier and Vivien Leigh perform it also played host to the
1981 Royal Variety Performance for Queen Elizabeth II.
We are looking forward to working closely with committed partners, Elemental Construction
Solutions and the Auckland Notable Properties Trust, who are equally as passionate about
the theatres re-opening as the council, Len Brown says.
Combined with a retail space and new apartments that will help meet our future population
demands in the city centre, we believe this development will contribute to a thriving cultural
and retail precinct for all Aucklanders to enjoy.
ECS will manage the entire construction project and will continue with a thorough
investigation into the best way forward with the goal of re-opening the theatre.
Mike Gibbon says initial evaluations have been promising.
We have undertaken some preliminary evaluations of the building but we have a lot more
work to do before finalising details around the work, Mr Gibbon says.
Until the sale was wrapped up it was impossible for us to conduct the depth of evaluation
needed to detail the scope of work on the St James. Now we have full access, we will be
able to develop a more thorough scope of work.
He says the first priority will be all of the safety and seismic improvements needed to ensure
all safety standards for the building are met.
Once the theatre is re-opened, we will implement a staged improvement and maintenance
programme.
It is important to note that the existing fabric of the theatre will not be affected by the
planned development and, as a Category One heritage building, all work will be scrutinised
by Heritage New Zealand.

While a budget and funding for the theatre work has yet to be agreed, it is expected Relianz
Holdings, Auckland Council and the Auckland Notable Properties Trust could each
contribute towards the re-opening, with funding from other sources also likely to play an
important part.
The ownership and management structure of the re-opened theatre has yet to be finalised
and is one of the important details to be worked through in the months ahead.
Mr Gibbon also highlighted the role the new apartment tower at 302 Queen Street will play in
a quickly growing city centre.
The St James Suites are designed to appeal to Aucklanders and cater for the continuing
influx of new residents who are looking for a high quality living option in a premium location.
There will be 16 large three-bedroom apartments, 120 two-bedroom apartments from 75
square metres in size, the remaining one bedroom apartments begin at 48 square metres.
All apartments feature full kitchens, laundries & generous sized balconies (minimum eight
square metres).
We have budgeted for a premium finish, and our intention for St James Suites to be an
aspirational address in Aucklands CBD. Certainly the architect behind the project, Paul
Brown of Paul Brown & Architects has done a great job of designing a quality residential
complex.
Advertising will begin for the St James Suites apartments early in 2015.
Ends
For further information please contact:
Simon Roche, Wright Communications
027 269 2876
simon@wrightcommunications.co.nz
Mike Gibbon, Elemental Construction Solutions
021 223 5343
mike@elemental.net.nz