Source: Radio New Zealand
Inside Auckland’s damaged St James Theatre. RNZ / Soumya Bhamidipati
The owner of Auckland’s St James Theatre has purchased two neighbouring properties on Queen Street and Lorne Street.
The heritage theatre, which opened in 1928, has been closed since a fire in 2007.
But in 2023, the government and Auckland Council each committed $15 million toward its restoration, and work is underway to reopen the theatre for its 100th anniversary in 2028.
St James Theatre owner Steve Bielby and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick. Benjamin Brooking
St James owner, Steve Bielby, said the trust that owned St James Holdings, the Auckland Notable Properties Trust, had purchased 330-332 Queen Street and 57 Lorne Street.
He said it was a strategic decision that would make it easier to complete structural upgrades on the theatre’s south side.
“These buildings were built around 1900, and they’re hard up against the St James Theatre. So when we structurally upgrade the theatre, it will essentially destroy the building next door in an earthquake, so we have to do some works to that wall. Those works are a lot easier to do on the site than from within the St James site.”
The exterior of the St James Theatre in Auckland. RNZ / Leonard Powell
He said the purchase also presented opportunities for expansion.
“It’s essentially a full site that runs from Queen Street to Lorne Street. It makes us the majority of the block, and it’s a through-site link. There are lots of hospitality offerings that could go in there. It would be a great hotel site. There are lots of options to complement a theatre.
“It also gives the ability to do what they did at The Civic. Larger-scale, Disney-style productions like Singing in the Rain require a larger backstage, so the backstage has to be extended. We’re not planning to do it, but this gives that option if that was ever desired.”
Auckland’s St. James Theatre has been repeatedly vandalised. RNZ / Soumya Bhamidipati
He said he bought the sites, which were currently commercial premises, from a family that had owned them for more than half a century.
He said the family had been very supportive of the theatre’s restoration.
The combined rateable value of the two properties is $7.55 million, but the St James Theatre said the purchase price was confidential.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand