St James Theatre restoration set to continue after years of delays

Thursday, 27 February 2025

The restoration of the St James Theatre in Auckland can finally go ahead after Auckland Council approved their portion of funding for the project.

The project had been held up for a number of years thanks to issues over funding and political wavering.

The restoration is estimated to cost $49m and expected to take 30 months to complete.

After years of delays and uncertainty about its future, the restoration of Auckland’s St James Theatre can finally continue after Auckland Council confirmed its funding commitment towards the project.

At a meeting of the Council Governing Body on Thursday, Councillors voted to grant $15 million to the theatre’s restoration, funds which they first committed to way back in 2016.

Since the theatre closed in 2016, the restoration has been held up and pushed back due to a series of obstacles concerning funding gaps and political doubt.

Work had initially begun on the restoration, however, in 2017 an adjoining apartment development that was set to contribute money to the project folded, putting the entire refurbishment at risk.

Over the last few years, the theatre’s owner, Steve Bielby of the Auckland Notable Properties Trust, has been left flying the flag of the project amidst the uncertainty of whether it would ever be completed.

In 2023, some good news arrived when the then Labour Government agreed to contribute $15m to the project, money that has since been recommitted to by the current Government.

At the vote on Thursday, Auckland Mayor Brown said he would not have supported the original allocation of funding in 2016 but that the best chance to make a difference to the midtown area was to “get on with it” and that restoring the theatre was “the best way out”.

“We can no longer accept the eyesore it has become,” Brown said about the theatre.

With council now recommitting their funding, the project can continue, with the restoration estimated to cost $49m and expected to take 30 months to complete.

Money will go towards structural strengthening and essential services upgrades, upgrades which will enable the theatre to reopen and be operational again.

The dress and upper circle of the theatre, however, will not be usable, while other elements of the building’s interior and exterior will not be fully restored to an “as new” condition as these will require further work.

The council says this work could be completed over time if other funding becomes available.

As part of the project, there will also be minor improvements made to the Queen Street façade, with the developer of a proposed apartment next door committed to tidying up that side of the site, including beautifying the hoardings and improving general appearance.

Although the adjacent apartment development is now in separate ownership and will progress independently of the theatre restoration, the restoration of the theatre’s heritage tower and foyer on Queen Street is expected to form part of that development.

The total capacity of the refurbished theatre is set to be 900 people for seated shows and 1800 people for non-seated shows, with the theatre expected to cater to a range of arts from opera to theatre productions to rock.

Reacting to the news the restoration of the St James will continue, Heart of the City Chief Executive Viv Beck said it was exciting for Auckland.

“As a long-standing supporter of the restoration, we are excited about the St James being back - to breathe new life into the city centre’s Aotea Arts Quarter.”

Beck added, “The St James has been sorely missed since it closed its doors all those years ago. We want a flourishing city centre that is rich in culture and entertainment for all Aucklanders to enjoy.”

“The area surrounding the St James also holds some of the biggest opportunities for renewal. The St James will play a crucial role in both.”

Built in 1928, the St James is a Category A historic heritage building and has played host to everyone from Queen Elizabeth II, to Miles Davis, to James Brown to Kanye West over the years.

A fire closed the theatre in 2007, and despite a brief reopening in 2015, the theatre was closed again that same year following another fire.

As a result, the theatre has fallen into disrepair over the last decade, with holes in the ceiling, moss growth on the floor, and leakage.

The building has at times also been targeted by thieves and vandals, with historical items, including an 84-year-old bronze statue stolen.

A date for the restoration to restart has yet to be determined.