Big glow-up planned to put life back into tired Wellington entertainment and retail hub
Saturday, 6 June 2026
The shine has come off Courtenay Place, one of Wellington’s main nightlife hubs, and now a group of developers, architects and urban designers have come up with a plan to return it to its former glory.
Essentially the concept is a glow-up for the area ‒ underpinned by cleaning up, giving buildings a facelift and creating identities out of four quarters for the area.
It’s already out of the starting blocks, with two buildings looking to get funding secured from the Wellington City Council’s Heritage Resilience and Regeneration Fund to improve their facades.
Once funding is in place, one of the first projects is expected to be a facelift for 46 Courtenay Place, currently home to Winner Winner and historically known as the site of Sir Des Britten's Coachman restaurant, which operated there for nearly three decades. The next will be 72 Courtenay Place.
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Also included will be lighting scapes, cleaning up and using empty stores as art spaces and helping shop and building owners with signage.
Willis Bond’s Miranda Richardson said it began with a simple observation: The Courtenay neighbourhood already has all the ingredients needed for a thriving creative district, but it’s tired and in need of focus.
“Our vision is to see the wider Courtenay neighbourhood once again become a place for everyone – a vibrant, welcoming and uniquely Wellington destination where people work, live, and play, and that celebrates creativity, culture, hospitality, and entertainment.”
The governance group, which brings together planners McIndoe Urban, storytellers and brand strategists Everyone, development company Willis Bond, construction company LT McGuinness, Athfield Architects, Urban Dream Brokerage and Studio Pacific Architecture which have been providing their expertise for free.
Former mayor Dame Kerry Prendergast is heading up the group.
Richardson said small improvements to buildings such as lighting, painting and façade enhancements can make a significant difference to how people experience the street.
“One of our first focuses was connecting with building owners and helping them coordinate improvements to their properties. We believe that a coordinated neighbourhood effort means those changes have a much bigger impact than any one building alone.”
The proposal and group are called Te Aro Hā - Courtenay and the aim is to re-establish Courtenay Place as Aotearoa's premier arts and entertainment district.
“Te Aro Hā means to pay attention to the essence of life. Historically, the wider Te Aro area was a place of abundance, activity and connection. That energy still exists today in the people and businesses that call this neighbourhood home.
“Our role is to help focus that energy, bring people together and create momentum for positive change. Hence, the name Te Aro Hā – Courtenay means to breathe life into Courtenay,” Richardson said.
There are also plans to host a launch event showcasing the improvements, introducing the precinct’s identity and website, and encouraging wider participation.
The group is working on a collaborative funding model involving private building owners, private contributors and Wellington City Council to deliver further works.
Richardson said they were putting a general call out to any building owners in the neighbourhood who would like to work with them.
She said those they had already been in touch with had been overwhelmingly supportive.
The group's view is that the district's challenges are not the result of a lack of quality businesses.
Richardson said world-class restaurants, bars, theatres and retailers already existed throughout the precinct. However, how it looks and the public perception of it, such as safety concerns, have changed.
Unlike the council's stalled and under-review Golden Mile project, the proposal does not rely on major transport changes, road closures or significant alterations to traffic movements.
Instead, the emphasis is on practical interventions that can be delivered relatively quickly — repainting buildings, restoring and replacing ageing canopies, introducing architectural lighting, highlighting heritage features and activating vacant spaces with arts, technology and creative uses.
The former Nicolini's site at 26 Courtenay Place will also become a temporary arts and information hub for the revitalisation project, providing space for local artists while showcasing plans for the wider precinct.
Central to the proposal is a plan to divide it into four distinct quarters, each with its own character and role within the broader neighbourhood.
Courtenay Central would become a multi-generational entertainment and retail precinct anchored by the reopening of The Court — the former Reading Cinema complex — and strengthened connections through to Te Papa and Tākina.
The Blair and Allen streets quarter would focus on design-led retail, hospitality and creative businesses, while the St James quarter would build around the historic theatre and surrounding commercial and community uses.
A fourth, southern quarter would emphasise smaller lane ways, courtyards, bars and restaurants, creating a more intimate neighbourhood atmosphere close to the waterfront.
The concept draws on successful urban revitalisation models seen overseas, like New York's theatre district and Vienna's renowned arts precinct.
The group's vision for Courtenay Place also arrives as businesses move into the area.
Auction house Dunbar Sloane is preparing to move into The Exchange in July. Designer lighting and furniture retailer ECC is opening a flagship store on Allen Street. Outdoor clothing company Patagonia has established itself on lower Tory Street, while chocolatier Baron Hasselhoff's is also moving into the area.
Meanwhile, contemporary art gallery Nine Fathom Deep opened on Cambridge Terrace last month, joining recent additions and upgrades including Lucky 8, O Studio and a refurbished Hummingbird.
The redevelopment of Reading Cinema, now renamed The Court, is also expected to play a major role in the precinct's future. Prime Property is currently talking with prospective tenants for the site.
Foot traffic peaks on Courtenay Place about 3000 people an hour, with up to 23,000 people moving through the precinct on busy days. The area is home to 876 businesses and has nearly 12,000 residents living nearby.
The group’s vision is to create an environment that encourages people to stay longer, invest more confidently and see Courtenay Place differently as well as recognising the history of the area.