$70m to take Victoria Park up market

The chimney at Victoria Park Market. Picture / Paul Estcourt

Jaded Auckland visitor attraction Victoria Park Market is to receive a $70 million facelift, with the developers promising it will bring higher quality goods and services.

They will rename it Victoria Park Village to reflect a new status and the first stage of the heritage site's revamp, approved by the city council this week, includes demolition of the stark 1980s steel additions that shelter some of the stalls.

Visitors say loss of stalls to make more room for sellers of fashion, food and drink will erode Victoria Park's market flavour.

Long-time customer Mary Taliai, of Albany, said yesterday she loved the market experience.

"At stalls you can bargain people down - as you do in a market," she said .

"But I think it's becoming boutiquey and that means boutiquey prices too."

Competition in the form of outdoor markets has sprung up in suburbs throughout Auckland since Victoria Park Market was created from the derelict city rubbish destructor and depot in 1984.

In its heyday the market attracted thousands of shoppers in the days before widespread weekend shopping.

A celebrity walk of fame was opened in 1984 and the famous - including Sir Edmund Hillary, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Billy T James, Sir Robert Muldoon, John Walker, Rachel Hunter - and infamous - Donna Awatere Huata - have been honoured by placing their hand prints or footprints, or both, in cement.

Mrs Talaia said she went to a market held in the Albany Hall ... "because of the junk".

Caz Wit, of Glenfield, dreaded her favourite market going upmarket. "Prices are twice what they were five years ago and it's no longer the bargain hunting place."

A visitor from Taupo, Nick Swallow, said Victoria Park was a compulsory stop on his Auckland list. "It's something a little different and I always find interesting things."

Kitchener Group said the market was dated when buying it for $14.1 million in February last year. Group development manager Nick Yates said the first of the two stages of the revamp aimed to "create a dynamic and vibrant people-oriented retail precinct" in the heritage western part.

Key works starting in mid-year included removal of the overhead walkway dubbed the "aircraft carrier" which runs through the middle of the market and has six stalls under it, and strengthening of the 42m high brick chimney built in 1904. A three-level building would be erected in the courtyard adjacent to Union St for restaurants and bars.

Other new structures would include glass verandahs, a viewing platform and a new entrance from Drake St.

From Victoria St, the market's fortress-like look would be softened by opening up gaps so passers-by could see into the courtyard.

Mr Yates said the changing nature of the retail area was signalled already by the use of the upstairs of the depot's old powerhouse for the La Zeppa bar and restaurant.

"This western area will become a destination where you can get a meal any time of the day.

"You have to do food and beverage very well in order to capture tourist and local patronage."

It was also planned to have fashion boutiques stocking the work of young New Zealand designers.

As part of the rebranding of the market the quality of arts and crafts would be raised and Pacific arts and crafts would feature.

Mr Yates said the market had about 80 lease holders and it was not yet known how many would stay on with the redevelopment.

He said that in an "emerging destination", shop owners would not be expected to pay Ponsonby Rd-type rents.

The city council central area planning manager, Vijay Lala, said the second stage affected the eastern sector of the market and was being dealt with as a separate resource consent.

This stage included removal of the car parking building and construction of a multi-level apartment building in its place.

Kitchener Group founder David Henderson said the first stage revamp would set a new benchmark for heritage restoration in Auckland.


Historic site

* The brick buildings and chimney were built in 1904 to house the city's rubbish incinerator.
* By 1915, twin stable buildings were built for 90 horses which hauled rubbish carts.
* The plant was closed in 1972.
* Used as a council depot until 1981.
* Sold by the council in 1984.
* Tourism entrepreneur John St Clair Brown turned the derelict buildings into a market.