FILE
The draft Inner City Revitalisation Strategy
Key changes to the original draft
-The City Focus building be considered for removal to encourage reinvestment back into Hinemoa St, to achieve a north-south traffic flow to encourage reinvestment back into Tutanekai St either side and removal of the sails and pillars to encourage pedestrian activity.
-Retain the Pukuatua St toilet facility and install an additional toilet at Eruera St (while closing Hinemoa St).
-Campervan parking at Kuirau Park, near Pukuatua St, has been moved more north towards Arawa St where consideration is to be had to extend the existing parking bay.
-CCTV coverage is extended to link coverage together across the city.
-Changing the hierarchy of Tutanekai St as the main through traffic is to be considered after Amohau St and Arawa St are upgraded.
Key objectives
- Fewer empty shops
-More people on the streets
-Optimistic retailers
-More diverse use of the inner city
-An exciting and safe place to live, work and visit
The strategy
1. Focused infrastructure
2. Strengthening the spine
3. Shaping a creative environment
4. Increasing business attraction and encouraging investment
5. Building strong community partnerships
Budgets 2015-2025
- Allocation of $1.2 million of capital expenditure in the first three years and $800,000 per year following that to achieve the revitalisation strategy.
This does not include allocating budget towards purchasing property for parking and pocket parks, as this could potentially be funded through the financial contributions and reserves funding that council has acquired and that is required to be used for purchasing additional reserves.
- In addition to that, an operational expenditure of $500,000 per year in the first three years and $200,000 per year following that would need to be allocated. This covers activities and events such as the Tulip Festival, Scrub Day and the Light Rotorua Campaign. Also for marketing and promotions, research and consultants, incentive strategy development and building the collateral for business attraction.
Regardless of the budget set, overall, delivery of the projects relies on concurrent investment by the public and private sectors.
The McDermott Miller Strategies report - City Focus
McDermott Miller was commissioned by Rotorua Lakes Council in October 2014 to assess the economic impacts of City Focus on Rotorua's inner city as it currently stands and under two "redevelopment" scenarios.
"Removal of the sails and pillars of City Focus and reconfiguring its traffic flows has potential to make a modest, positive, contribution to revitalisation of Rotorua's CBD, as a component of a package of council and Inner City Focus Group initiatives. It will help implement the City Revitalisation Strategy of "Strengthening the Spine" of the CBD - Tutanekai St from Eat Streat in the north to Amohau St in the south.
"It is important, however, to recognise such impacts are minor compared to the challenges to retailing across Rotorua's CBD from continuing loss in real spending power by shoppers and retailers attracted to Central Mall.
"The upgrade of City Focus and other streetscape improvements will help improve what is already a pleasant urban environment. But no amount of streetscape improvements will achieve revitalisation unless the retail offer in Tutanekai St itself improves.
Potential impact of reconfiguring City Focus
1. Increased traffic movements along Tutanekai and Hinemoa Sts. Traffic flows along Hinemoa St and Tutanekai St would increase, but less than with full removal.
2. Increased pedestrian movement. Combined with the new time-limited, free parking policy, the increase in traffic could be expected to result in an increase in pedestrian activity. The improvement in sightlines could also have a positive effect on pedestrian activity along the length of Tutanekai St.
Crossings in the intersections of Tutanekai St with Amohau St and Eruera St would contribute to free pedestrian movement to and from Central Mall.
Pedestrian movement in City Focus would increase if provision is made for a layby near Amohau St where cars can stop briefly to drop off or pick up shoppers.
3. Increased sales. Modest increased traffic and pedestrian activity, combined with the other environmental upgrades, already in place and planned, can be expected to increase retail sales in the possible "Boutique Precinct" of the CBD.
4. Effect on private sector investment: Crucial to a sustainable improvement in the CBD is an improvement in quality of the retail offering, including an upgrade of the buildings. This will not necessarily follow on from reconfiguration of City Focus. Anecdotally, completion of "Eat Streat" has not yet led to investment/upgrading of the businesses alongside it and this may also be the case with reconfiguration of City Focus.
Potential impact of complete removal of City Focus
1. Increased traffic movements along Tutanekai and Hinemoa Sts. Traffic modelling work indicates that traffic flows along Hinemoa St would greatly increase, but there would only be a small increase in absolute terms in traffic along Tutanekai St.
2. Whether complete removal of City Focus provides a bigger boost for retailing in the CBD than reconfiguring is problematic. It depends on the balance of two factors - optimising the accessibility of the CBD for car-borne household shoppers, which is supported best by complete removal, versus providing a better quality urban environment which will attract foot-borne tourists as well as residents and act as venue for small events. Complete removal of City Focus therefore should be considered seriously.
Rotorua CBD Timeline
1970s: Tutanekai Mall developed, between intersections with Pukuatua and Hinemoa Sts
1990: Rotorua District Council commissions and adopts a concept plan to revitalise the CBD. Report proposes $4.4 million upgrade, including extension of Mall to Eruera St including closing the intersection of Hinemoa and Tutanekai Sts
1992: City redevelopment programme to improve streetscapes of, and traffic movement in, CBD in progress
1993: Decision made to remove Tutanekai Mall under pressure from retailers
1994: Initial proposals put forward for retail development on railway land at Amohau St
1994: Retailers in Tutanekai Mall petition for its immediate removal, saying its removal is vital to enhance a rapidly deteriorating area
1994: City Focus developed to serve as a focal point for citizens and visitors. Combines a sculpture, a space for events, an information office and a community constable.
1999: The Warehouse and Warehouse Stationery open on old railway land (Central Mall)
2000: Stage 1 of Rotorua Central Mall opens
2004: Central Mall expands to more than 20,000m2 of retail space with addition of Harvey Norman
2006: Farmers, formerly the "anchor" of CBD retail, relocates from Hinemoa St and Tutanekai St to Central Mall
2010: Weekly Night Market in Tutanekai Street begins
2011: Hinemoa Arcade developed, adjoining City Focus - a specialty retail development accompanying apartment development. Take up has been slow, and it remains largely vacant
2013: Council's Eat Streat development in northern Tutanekai St opens
2013: Extensions and upgrade to Central Mall, including Smiths City, new Amohau St entrance and enclosing part of Mall; relocation of CBD retailers to Central Mall continues with Glassons moving from Tutanekai St
2013: Inner City Focus Group established
2013: Introduction of monitored free parking in CBD
2014: Programme to upgrade intersection in CBD to improve traffic flows
2014: Smiths City to relocate to Central Mall from Te Ngae Shopping Centre; Life Pharmacy relocates from Tutanekai St; Central Mall essentially complete
Vans, uniforms and perks on offer, but still no takers.