Something old, something new
Chews Lane, in the heart of downtown Wellington between Willis and Victoria streets, was officially opened by Mayor Kerry Prendergast last night.
Mark McGuinness, managing director of developer Willis Bond, said the company had trawled the world looking at the use and design of pedestrian lanes, finally settling on Flinders Lane in downtown Melbourne as the main inspiration for the project.
All 19 of the shop sites had been filled with new bars, food outlets and clothes stores featuring prominently at street level, he said. Farry%26#39;s menswear, women%26#39;s clothes shop Stable and a Hush Puppies shoe store have already opened in the $90 million development.
Several of the buildings in the precinct were built at the turn of the last century and two of them %26ndash; 35 Willis St and 58-60 Victoria St %26ndash; are listed heritage buildings. Mr McGuinness said a new pedestrian crossing would be placed at the Victoria St end of the lane to make access to the waterfront easier.
%26quot;People can cross that intersection diagonally . . . It will make it really easy to get to the waterfront and back.%26quot;
In 2004, Wellington City Council gave Willis Bond the green light to redevelop the lane precinct. The company bought a 250-year lease of the site for $12.5 million.
