At some stage, reality is going to have to sink in, to whoever runs these signs around the city: Reading Car Park is Gone Baby GONE, the love has gone away.
Unloved, unmourned, uncaring passing,
the car park that no one wanted,
built by profit chasers for a tower that never came,
the building that split its thigh bones,
allegedly. I saw no cracks.
watched no movies at Readings for a month or two,
this site much better as retail and hospitality,
Big Bertha biting beams mouth full of concrete,
now Tory Street can breathe again at last,
more Lucky Dragon Best High Imperial Dumplings please!
let’s pedestrianise Tory St completely now,
and take me to the water’s edge
On the subject of carparks ripe for transformation, I see that Cubadupa is taking over the Swan Lane asphalt for a couple of days. If ever there was a piazza ready to go it’s this space. All it needs is a repave and some guidelines for the various edge owners to activate.
There was a wishful thought floated here some time ago that the Council could broker a swap with the owner of this area for the land under the Oaks.A redevelopment for the creaky Oaks and a fitting heart for the Cuba Quartier.
McLeavey Place?
Max was very keen on that to happen also – as am I – Max wrote about it way back in 2008….
http://eyeofthefish.org/swan-lane-people-park/
“there’s a piece of land between Ghuznee and Vivian that is the absolutely perfect place for a park. A park for People, not the ground level park for Cars that it is now. Yes, the small square of asphalt known as the Swan Lane Car Park – that goes through to the Marion St Post Office, has been decreed by some to be the most divine spot possible for a park for people. It’s certainly wasted on the cars that sit there all day seeping oil into the asphalt.”
Peter McLeavey is well deserving of recognition, and it would be a lovely recognition for him, as his rooms are just on the edge – but then again, Swan Lane commemorates the wonderful talents of John Swan architect, whose work is everywhere except actually at this point.
The Oaks? What to do about the Oaks. There must have been a million schemes for this slice of Cuba St life over the years. Nearly all of them involve knocking down the Oaks.
But I totally agree with you that the Swan Lane Car Park should go. GO I say! Begone! Out damned spot!
Swan Lane bordering McLeavey Place. Why not?
Night market, food trucks, cafe tables, festival stage, outdoor cinema, romantic renedezvous, nicotine niche, speakers’ corner…
Peter (and probably John) would thoroughly approve.
News on RNZ this morning, but nothing in Stuff or the Herald:
At least 4 more buildings are to be demolished at CentrePort.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/326626/four-wellington-port-buildings-to-be-demolished
“building owner Centreport said the former Rugby Union building, Shed 35, Shed 29/G&A and the MSC building would be coming down. Demolition work has already started at Shed 35, where the asbestos roof has been removed. The port was now working with engineers on how best to demolish the walls.
Work on pulling down the old Rugby Union building would begin on 1 April, with completion due in early May, the email said. The timing of the other two demolitions still had to be finalised.
Assessments were continuing at Centreport’s three major commercial buildings – Statistics House, the BNZ building and Customs House.
Centreport said no decision had been made on their future, and a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) technical investigation, focused on Statistics House, was not complete.”