Wellington’s St James Theatre set to be ready for 2022 New Zealand Festival

January 18, 2020

Work on Wellington’s historic St James Theatre is progressing with the theatre set to be ready for the 2022 New Zealand Festival.

The St James Theatre is an important building within Wellington City Council’s building portfolio, with Category 1 Heritage status, and home to a number of tenants including the Royal New Zealand Ballet, Festivals, Venues Wellington and Mojo cafe.

The Courtenay Place theatre is one year into its strengthening and refurbishment and Mayor Andy Foster says the work is crucial to ensure Wellington retains its title of capital of culture.

Mayor Foster is impressed with the reinforcing and strengthening work underway advising “the St James, along with the Town Hall and other historically significant buildings, are taonga that we must keep alive.

“It is pleasing to see these projects are on track to be completed in December 2021 – in time for the 2022 New Zealand Festival.

“The St James will also once again be a long-term home for the Royal New Zealand Ballet, NZ Festival, Venues Wellington, NZ Opera and others.

“This beautiful building will again be a crucial centrepiece of the Courtenay Precinct and we look forward to its reopening.”

Councillor Iona Pannett, who holds the Building Heritage Resilience Portfolio, says no one wants to see civic buildings boarded up indefinitely.

“Wellingtonians can be assured that we are working hard to reopen these fantastic buildings.

“The St James has been there since 1912 and we nearly lost it in the late 1980s before Council bought it in 1993 following one of the country’s largest heritage battles.

“It is wonderful that this grand old building will get a new lease of life.”

Work started in April 2019 and is scheduled to be completed in December 2021.

The strengthening work will increase its New Building Standard from 15-20% currently to at least 67%.

Wellington City Council has been working with Heritage NZ and a conservation architect to preserve the historic integrity of the building.

The main construction work is being carried out by Maycroft Construction and project management services are being provided by Beca.

24th December 2019 - Melbourne Theatre Company renews MPavilion partnership for summer program

23rd December 2019 - Marriner Group unveils refurbishment of Melbourne’s historic Regent Theatre

16th December 2019 - Sydney’s State Theatre unveils restored organ to celebrate 90th Anniversary

12th December 2019 - Western Sydney’s new Coliseum Theatre reveals partnerships and technologies

12th December 2019 - New partnership aligns Perth Theatre Trust and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

27th November 2019 - NSW Government opens tender process for new Sydney Theatre Royal operator

21st November 2019 - Rebuilding of La Mama Theatre commences

4th November 2019 - New Zealand Government provides $12 million for new theatre in Waikato

24th October 2019 - Griffith Regional theatre set to be renovated

22nd October 2019 - Townsville’s Civic Theatre reopens after flood damage repair

3rd October 2019 - Brisbane’s newest theatre draws back the curtains for Open House 2019

2nd October 2019 - Christchurch Council advances plans for Court Theatre

3rd July 2019 - Uncertain future for Auckland’s historic St James Theatre

26th July 2016 - Auckland Council to contribute to St James Theatre restoration

2nd February 2015 - Auckland Mayor backs St James Theatre renovation

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.