There’s an historical theatre which is on the upper hill side of Auckland’s Queen Street known as the golden mile. The St James is adjacent across the street of another know theatre known as the Civic in the cornering of Queen Street and Wellesley street. The St James, has been abandon for quite some decade years more, and in need of some serious restoration to its former glory in in the theatrical standing in New Zealand, it’s sisters in which is across the road is fortified with Civic, which was used in the scene of Peter Jacksons King Kong movie, where the Kong was held in spectacular, also adjacent the Aotea centre with several convention centres.
Given its derelict abandonment, there’s been a cause to restore the St James to its past. In that past the St James have been given additions to cope with the progression of changes of the entertainment industry, those such additions modifications into a multiplex, then later another competition came along, another multiplex on the same street with circa 1980’s early 90’s Midcity, in with an experimental shopping experience, then later that experience translated to the now presently Westfield Malls to have larger multiplexes with more diverse different comfortable amenities.
My thoughts in rescuing the St James is to renovate the complex into a concept convention centre with theatre, circa 1940’s concept restaurant in which there used to be dance halls within that time era, in the same way how on the very top floor on the former Farmers building now an apartment hotel conversion on Hobson street, where there’s in its regal days has an encompassing view of Auckland’s central Harbour. In that renovation rescuing, is to convert in complex into a student learning complex in between Auckland University also Auckland University of Technology, and other partners.
This is how I see it, the complex renovated as a teaching complex, the restaurant convention department is a teaching training tool to give the students an employment of experiences, also a platform to stand on to evolve, also in the same way has the theatre side where the students show there arts in performance, also later in the process those graduating students could come back in used those skills learn to produce there production in the same theatre, also it can be externally used for other productions other producing academia so it can gain extra revenue.
In say that it also could be used for as part of the AUT’s fashion student rookie show, which is brilliant one night event, but also it could be used during the New Zealand Fashion week, showcase during the duration from opening to its closing.
As the 1940’s concept restaurant, student in performing music this could be a place for them to practice their arts, instead of using recorded music, giving them a learning experience platform. In also the learning experience is using nearby AUT hospitably, cooking students to give them employment in running a restaurant also a convention centre.
As for the renovations externally, seeing it in encase in a glass open plan building, to allow more light inside in very much need, as in the past has been enclosed in tinted shaded glass showing it’s derelict abandonment, building should be in white classics tones, in which mood lighting could be used to change nights mood. As of other ways of bringing in crowds is the placement of large screen display of advertisement and news current affairs placement with speakers placed in Aotea Square, . Like in those in New York’s time square, which draw in crowds for various events? As for outside lighting the, there’s needs to be restoration of how the lighting was back then where there’s used to be blub light, in which gives back the glamour days life back to the St James, if you use Google earth in street view,, and you’ll see how derelict the building is its history in Auckland has been forgotten, it’s historic glamour is torn.
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