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Auckland City
Centre Advisory Board
27 July 2016
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City Centre Progress Update for the Auckland City
Centre Advisory Board - to 22 July 2016
File No.: CP2016/15837
Purpose
1. To update the Auckland City Centre Advisory Board (ACCAB) on
progress on City Centre projects to 27 July 2016.
2. The report provides a high-level overview of
progress on projects and initiatives in the City Centre, including:
a. City
Centre Targeted Rate projects
b. Other
City Centre projects
c. City
Centre strategies / initiatives
d. Forward
Planner (Attachment A)
For each project, a
coloured bar shows the three stages of development:
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 Feasibility
/ Investigation
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Design / Consultation
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Construction
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An arrow then
shows what stage the project is currently at.
Executive
summary
Myers Park Upgrade –
Stage 2:
3. Following
discussions between the Auckland Council Public Arts, Community Services and
Community Facilities teams, and following the advice from the Advisory Panel
for Art in Public Places, it has been agreed that two to three options will be
presented to ACCAB for review and comment.
4. Representatives
from Auckland Council Public Arts, Community Services and Community Facilities
will provide a presentation and facilitate a discussion as to the benefits,
costs and consequences of each option at the ACCAB meeting.
Pioneer Women’s and Ellen Melville Hall
and Freyberg Square Upgrade:
5. The tender has
been awarded to the preferred contractor JFC Ltd in collaboration with Corbel
Construction.
6. The contractor
takes possession of the site on 1 August 2016 to commence site establishment
and also to fulfil all Resource Consent prestart conditions.
Karangahape Road Streetscape
Enhancement:
7. The working draft of the concept plan is progressing through the
design review stage with internal stakeholders. Consultation with key external
stakeholders is anticipated in September with the aim of going out for public
consultation in October.
8. The final concept design and public consultation package will be
brought to ACCAB in August 2016.
City Rail Link
9. Construction
contract C1, for the Britomart work, has been awarded with a start scheduled
for July, conditional upon receipt of an approved Outline Plan of Works.
10. Utility
diversions prior to the piling and cut and cover in Albert Street are about to
start. There will be about 30 traffic changes as the utility works move up and
down the street.
Downtown Public Spaces
11. The Environment Court process regarding the
rezoning of Queen Elizabeth Square (QES) began on 18 July 2016. An outcome on
the sale of the square is anticipated to be handed down in September 2016.
12. A Downtown Infrastructure Development (DID) Programme has been established.
A fourth capital project, which involves the design and investigation of
Interim Cruise Infrastructure, has also been added to the existing projects in
the DID programme, including Quay Street Seawall, Interim Ferry Infrastructure,
Downtown Public Spaces, Programme Communications, Central Wharves Strategy and
Operations management.
Wynyard Quarter Redevelopment
13. Construction of
the 650 seat ASB Waterfront Theatre is underway and expected to be open for use
by October 2016.
Learning Quarter
14. An integrated
working group has been formed to discuss the alignment and integration of
projects in and around Albert Park, which will meet for the first time on 28
July 2016.
15. The Learning
Quarter bus improvements study began in March. Engagement with key stakeholders
will continue over the next six months.
Quay Street Interim Cycleway
16. This project
officially opened on 8 July, 2016.
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Recommendation/s
That the Auckland City Centre
Advisory Board:
a) receive the City Centre
progress update report, updated to July 2016.
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Comments
City Centre Targeted Rate Projects
O’Connell Street Shared Space
17. An artwork has
been considered for O’Connell Street following completion of the shared
space. The concept is for a suspended artwork attached to buildings on
either side of the street. The owners at 5 and 10 O’Connell St have in
principle agreed to host the artwork from their buildings. Both property
owners have signed letters of intent, to allow the art works to be attached to
their buildings if the outcome of the structural feasibility for attaching the
artworks is satisfactory to them.
18. A structural
review of the two buildings to determine the feasibility and costs of attaching
the art works to the building is now complete and fabrication costings have
been updated. The project team has met with Consents at Auckland Council to
review the consenting issues and requirements. The only major consideration
arising from the review is the seismic ratings of the buildings.
19. The project team
will be meeting with Auckland Transport with regard to a license to occupy
airspace above O’Connell Street as the next step.
20. In due course
the project will also be reviewed in its totality by the Advisory Panel for Art
in Public Places.
Myers Park Upgrade – Stage 2
21. Following
discussions between the Auckland Council Public Arts, Community Services and
Community Facilities teams, and following the advice from the Advisory Panel
for Art in Public Places, it has been agreed that two to three options will be
presented to ACCAB for review and comment.
22. Representatives
from Auckland Council Public Arts, Community Services and Community Facilities
will provide a presentation and facilitate a discussion as to the benefits,
costs and consequences of each option at the ACCAB meeting.
23. The commencement
of the construction works will be dependent on the option selected at the ACCAB
meeting, with the earliest start date forecast for September 2016, subject to the
successful supplier’s programme.
24. Additional site
investigation for the splash pad construction was carried out and the project
will be delivered through a separate procurement process. At this stage there
is a short fall in the available budget to deliver the splash pad and options
to resolve this are being developed. Should a resolution be found quickly, the
construction of the splash pad will commence in late-July 2016 and is planned
to be completed for the summer season 2016 / 2017.
Beach Road Maori Artwork
25. A resource
consent application is currently being prepared for five bronze sculptures of
working waka prow are proposed to be located on the existing “waka plinths”
between Britomart Place and Tangihua Street.
Pioneer Women’s and Ellen Melville Hall
and Freyberg
Square Upgrade
26. Resource and
Building Consents granted for the Building. Resource consent for the Square
granted with Engineering Plan Approval and Building Consent imminent.
27. The tender has
been awarded to the preferred contractor JFC Ltd in collaboration with Corbel
Construction.
28. A contractor
pre-start meeting was held on Thursday, 21 July, now that confirmation of final
budget costs have concluded.
29. The contractor
takes possession of the site on 1 August to commence site establishment and
also to fulfil all Resource Consent prestart conditions.
30. Construction
programme is anticipated to be 9 months’ duration.
31. Staff are
planning a programme of activation and construction mitigation opportunities,
in collaboration with residents, Heart of the City and business owners, that
can be implemented during the construction phase of the Ellen Melville Hall and
Freyberg Square upgrade.
High Street District Framework
32. The purpose of
the framework & reference design is to provide Auckland Council with a
supported vision and priority for the High Street District to guide future
decision making and stimulate investment.
33. The first step
is completing a number of intercept surveys in the High Street District to
understand current perceptions of the district and vision for the future.
The surveys commenced in late July 2016.
34. Natalie Donze
from the Auckland Design Office will give a presentation on progress and next
steps at the ACCAB meeting on 27 July 2016
Karangahape Road Streetscape Enhancement
35. The working
draft of the concept plan is progressing through the design review stage with
internal stakeholders. Consultation with key external stakeholders is
anticipated in September with the aim of going out for public consultation in
October.
36. MRCagney are
being commissioned to undertake a peer review in the next few weeks.
37. The research
that has been undertaken to date, and is used to inform the project includes:
i. A pedestrian intercept survey (620 responses)
ii. A survey of businesses (120 responses)
iii. Traffic modelling (Saturn modelling, SIDRA modelling and the team
has recently commissioned Paramics modelling)
iv. Pedestrian modelling
v. Parking Surveys
vi. 3 occasions of public engagement, including Myers Park Medley, White
Night, and Open Streets.
Britomart Streetscapes - Stage 1: Galway
Street
38. A funding
agreement between Auckland Council and Cooper and Company has been signed for
Stage 1: Galway Street.
39. Project is
continuing to progress well with construction having begun on 14 June. The
upgrade is currently on track to be completed by October 2016.
Photo
of Galway Street looking west, taken July 2016
Britomart Streetscapes - Stage 2: Tyler Street
40. Discussions are
now underway between Cooper and Co, Auckland Council and Auckland Transport
regarding Stage 2: Tyler Street.
Federal Street upgrade
41. Work has
commenced on a reference design for future upgrade of Federal Street and the
adjoining side-streets.
Hobson and Nelson Street upgrade
42. A project team
is in the process of being established and a Project Lead will need to be
appointed.
43. Discussions have
begun with NZICC (Sarah Ballantyne) regarding a partnership approach to the
public realm improvements on Hobson and Nelson Street around the new facility.
44. Initial staging
of the streetscape upgrades will be aligned with construction of the NZ
International Convention Centre, indicating a potential construction start in
2017.
45. This project
will also consider safety and amenity improvements to the Nelson Street slip
lane
Other City Centre Projects
City Rail Link
46. Construction contract
C1, for the Britomart work, has been awarded with a start scheduled for July,
conditional upon receipt of an approved Outline Plan of Works.
47. Utility
diversions prior to the piling and cut and cover in Albert Street are about to
start. There will be about 30 traffic changes as the utility works move up and
down the street.
48. The pipejack
work continues in Victoria Street, and the Wellesley Street and Swanson
Street shaft sites will be set up in July.
49. A large acoustic
work enclosure is being constructed on Victoria Street, near the intersection
with Albert Street.
Lower Queen St & Albert St Reinstatement upgrades
50. The financial
contribution to these projects has been considered as part of the review of the
City Centre Targeted Rate Work Programme and the Auckland City Centre Advisory
Board has endorsed contributing $20 million for the reinstatement of Albert
Street and $10 million for the reinstatement of Lower Queen Street.
51. Following the ACCAB June meeting, a letter has been drafted to be
sent by the ACCAB Chair to the CRL team confirming that ACCAB has recommended
the funding but also outlining the board’s expectations
: It is expected that a meeting between ACCAB representatives and CRL will
follow the letter.
Downtown Public
Spaces
52. The Environment Court process regarding the
rezoning of Queen Elizabeth Square (QES) began 18 July 2016. An outcome on the
sale of the square is anticipated to be handed down in September 2016.
53. The Downtown
Public Spaces is a part of the Downtown Infrastructure Development (DID)
Programme, comprising four capital work projects and three supporting
workstreams:
1. Quay Street
Seawall,
2. Interim Ferry
Infrastructure,
3. Downtown Public
Spaces,
4. Interim Cruise
Infrastructure,
a. Programme
Communications,
i. a cohesive communications and engagement strategy across all four
projects within the DID programme
b. Central Wharves
Strategy,
i. ensuring the long term central wharves strategy is considered by
programme and projects, and will also include the development of consenting
strategy for the programme of works.
c. Operations
management.
i. ensuring that operational requirements of project and programme
stakeholders are properly managed to minimise impact and disruption.
54. The risk
associated with undertaking work on the Downtown Public Spaces prior to a
decision from the Environment Court on the rezoning of QES has been discussed
with Council management and it has been agreed that the project team can
proceed to undertake planning, design investigation and procurement preparation
work, in order to meet Auckland development Committee expectations and
resolutions should the new public spaces be required.
55. A Programme
Steering Group is scheduled for the second week in August to ensure that the
programme and project stakeholders are updated on and aware of the phasing of
all planned and potential projects in the downtown precinct over the next 10
years so that an informed decision can be made to move forward with the Downtown Public Spaces project.
56. The Interim
Cruise Project will now be included within the Downtown Infrastructure
Development (DID) Programme to coordinate communications in line with the other
projects within the programme (Downtown Public Spaces, the Quay St Seawall and
the Downtown Ferry Enabling works).
Quay St Seawall Seismic Upgrade
57. Refer to
Downtown Public Spaces above – awaiting the outcome of the project phasing
decision as outlined above.
58. If the sale of QES does not proceed and the
Downtown Public Spaces project is halted, it is likely the Quay St Seawall
Seismic upgrade will proceed anyway.
Ferry Basin Redevelopment
59. Auckland Council
and Auckland Transport are considering options to enable funding of initial
stages to align with timing for Quay St Seawall upgrades, and delivery of
Downtown Public Spaces in 2018.
60. Council and
Auckland Transport have begun progressing document called the Ferry Basin Water
Space Strategic Review and Design Options.
Central Wharves Strategy
61. The Ports Future Study was released in July
2016, and will now begin to form an integrated part of the Central Wharves
Strategy work programme.
Westhaven Promenade
62. No further
update
Wynyard Quarter Redevelopment
62.1. Panuku and Auckland Transport are completing streetscape
upgrades within Wynyard Quarter. Panuku is delivering Madden Street and
Pakenham Street. The first two phases of Madden Street opened in April
2016.
62.2. The upgrade of Pakenham Street between Daldy St
and Halsey St began in April 2016.
62.3. Construction of the 650 seat ASB Waterfront
Theatre is well underway and expected to be open for use by October 2016.
Learning Quarter
63. The Learning Quarter Working Group has been
established and has representation from the University of Auckland, AUT, the
Development Programme Office, the Auckland Design Office, Auckland Transport
and Auckland Council Resource Consents.
64. An integrated working group has been formed to
discuss the alignment and integration of projects in and around Albert Park,
which will meet for the first time on 28 July 2016.
65. Auckland
Transport has installed temporary barriers along the centerline of upper
Grafton Road as a measure to stop unsafe u-turns into the 5-minute parking
outside the Owen G. Glen Building (see image below). This has been at the
request of the Universities.
66. The Learning
Quarter Bus Study has convened three workshops, the most recent on 14 July.
Cycle Network
67. Nelson Street
Cycleway– comprised of stages as follows:
i. Nelson St
Bridge and Off-ramp (NZTA) – Completed
ii. Nelson St
Off-ramp to Quay St
§ Stage 1 – Union St to Victoria St –
Completed
§ Stage 2 – Victoria St to Quay St –
Construction of the cycleway is planned to be completed by April 2017.
68. 
Quay St Interim Cycleway
i. Construction began on 7 March and
the cycleway officially opened on 8 July 2016.
SkyPath
69. The council’s
Finance and Performance Committee on 21 July 2016 considered updates on
SkyPath, St James Theatre and other matters.
70. The agenda is
available on Auckland Council’s website and minutes will be added once confirmed. This meeting was also webcast on the council’s website and items are available on demand.
City Centre Strategies / Initiatives
City Centre Intelligence Unit
71. Due to the full
agenda at the July ACCAB meeting, the presentation on progress with the City
Centre Intelligence Unit has been postponed to the August meeting of ACCAB.
Quay Park
72. Following a
series of workshops with key stakeholders, and consideration of a range of a
wide range of development options, there is no clearly preferred solution for
Quay Park.
73. The current view
is that whilst there may be transport funding available in the medium term to
progress elements of the scheme, it will be very difficult to construct a
sustainable business case to deliver on the development options that offer the
best overall outcomes.
74. The intention is
to complete the study by preparing a minute (or letters of support) from the
key stakeholder group that records their endorsement of the components of the
study that are agreed. These letters, in conjunction with the report on
the study proceedings will be a useful starting point for any future study.
75. The timeframes
for this will be variable but the consultants have prepared a draft report
anticipate compiling the letters of endorsement by August 2016.
Precinct Frameworks
76. Framework
documents are underway for key city centre precincts, to collate planning and
project information and inform decisions on projects and initiatives.
i. Downtown – complete.
ii. Aotea – complete
iii. Learning Quarter – implementation
plan is underway.
iv. High Street District – underway.
v. Victoria Quarter – to commence 2016
(tbc).
vi. Quay Park - draft report due August
2016.
Digital Auckland
77. Work is
continuing with good progress on all of the Digital Auckland initiatives.
Consideration
Local
board views and implications
78. The Waitemata
Local Board has been engaged with on all City Centre projects that are actively
progressing. Specific engagement with the board is included in the project
plans for individual projects. The board is generally supportive of the
direction being taken.
Māori
impact statement
79. Monthly hui are
being held throughout 2016 with iwi representatives, with the purpose of
seeking mana whenua input into the scoping and design process of City Centre
projects.
80. The most recent
hui was held on 8 July.
Implementation
81. Prior to the
implementation of City Centre projects and initiatives, regular meetings and
workshops are held with many stakeholders including the Waitemata Local Board,
Heart of the City, Learning Quarter stakeholders, iwi and the Auckland
Development Committee.
Attachments
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No.
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Title
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Page
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aView
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Meeting Topic Forward Planner
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19
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Signatories
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Author
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Catherine Edmeades - Development Programmes Lead
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Authoriser
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Ralph Webster - Manager Development Programmes
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