The Reading cinemas complex in central Wellington. Photo: CC 4.0 BY-SA / Tom Ackroyd
Wellingtonians and business owners are hopeful the sale of a major derelict CBD building will breathe new life to the capital's nightlife district.
The Primeproperty Group have bought the earthquake-prone Reading Cinemas building on Courtenay Place.
The future of Reading Cinemas had been the subject of news stories for the past couple of years.
Wellington mayor Tory Whanau had made it a priority for the council to come up with a deal between it and Reading Cinemas to develop the cinemas complex which was shut in 2019.
Last year the council announced it had given up on the $32 million plan to buy the land under the property and lease it back to the cinemas company.
That led to it going up for sale in July and the property being sold to the Primeproperty Group.
RNZ asked businesses and Wellingtonians what they would like to see out of any future development of the 1.5-hectare site.
Co-owner of the Welly Collective, which still runs out of the front of the Reading Cinemas building, Libby Dearnley said she'd like the site to bring new amenities to Courtenay Place.
"A little post office or something like that gives people access to things they don't otherwise have would be super helpful I think for locals that live in the area as well and encourage them to come down, not just people visiting."
Dearnley said they had known a sale was possible in the future, so they had opened a new store on Cuba Street in case they were not able to continue operating their Courtenay Place shop.
The Residence is a bar located near Reading Cinemas.
Its manager Ben said he would like to see an activity similar to bowling or mini golf brought into the space.
"Something to bring people to the street during the day would be amazing."
He said it was likely the space would include shops, but he was curious to see what happened to the site.
Wellingtonian Lilly said it was good the building had been sold.
"I had a conversation the other day about how it just takes up most of Courtenay Place, it's just sitting here so if they can do something with it that would be great."
She said she would like to see a complex open to the public.
Former Wellington resident Daz Martin said it was a big gaping hole that had been empty for so long, so he would like to see some action on the site.
Martin said he would like it to remain a public space.
"I remember when I was a kid, and the Queens Wharf mall got turned into offices so I hope it's not something like that."
Whanau said she was looking forward to see what the new owner's development plans were.
