Originally published in Waikato Times, Saturday 24 January 2026.
By Mike Mather.
Entrepreneur Josh King says he wants to do his bit to make downtown Hamilton better-looking than what it currently is. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
The opening of the glittering $80 million BNZ Theatre in downtown Hamilton this week has thrown into sharp contrast the state of many of the surrounding buildings in southern Victoria St.
It’s a diverse assembly of structures - some big, some tiny, some designated historic - in equally diverse condition.
The frontage of many are in inarguably bad shape, with broken windows, peeling paint, graffiti and lichen-covered awnings clashing with the pristine and ornately-decorated façades of their neighbours.
And whether there is an onus on local landlords and business owners to lift their game and make their businesses more presentable - or perhaps demolish them and build something more attractive in their place - has become a topic of debate.
Now that the new BNZ Theatre has opened, the state of some of the nearby buildings in Victoria St is being put under the spotlight. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
One who is making an effort to do so - with an eye to taking advantage of the theatre’s opening - is Hamilton entrepreneur Josh King, who recently purchased offices in Victoria St, just a few doors down from the new facility.
King was “renovating it quite dramatically” to make it much more palatable for prospective tenants and he had also bought an adjoining 13-space car park.
The property was owned by a body corp, so wholesale changes to the exterior were not possible, “but we have gutted the whole thing. There are some very ugly air conditioner systems that are half in and half out of the building that we are replacing as well.”
Some of the buildings close to the theatre - including this one just a few doors along - are visibly suffering from wear and tear. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
King said he was “very open” to what kind of business might find a home there, “but if anyone is keen I’d love if they could get in touch sooner rather than later, so we could customise it for them.
“I’m fully aware the space that I’m in is on very valuable land. It’s right between the theatre and Victoria on the River, with a big new hotel going in next door. We want to get it looking as good as possible, inside and out.”
While he did not want to cast aspersions against any nearby property owners, King was adamant the theatre presented a golden opportunity for its neighbours.
The old Bank of New Zealand building, which is very close to the BNZ Theatre, has recently been given an uwanted redecoration by taggers. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
“The ecosystem it will create will bring prosperity for the CBD. That’s got to be good for Hamilton and for New Zealand as a whole.”
Vanessa Williams, the general manager of the Hamilton Central Business Association, agreed that some parts of Victoria St were “looking pretty shabby”.
“Some of the awnings could do with some care and attention. The footpaths also need work in some places, although that’s the Hamilton City Council’s responsibility ... It’s a full picture of everyone doing their part.
“The theatre is a fantastic destination asset for the south end of the CBD, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens around it.
The greenery adorning the recently renamed Poison Ivy strip club a few doors up from the theatre is undoubtably intentional. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
“It’s great that the Hamilton City Council have committed to a do-up of Hood St. That investment will need to be done in parallel with the landlords and the business owners.
“I welcome any positive additions ... It’s a great time to come and spend time in the central city - as soon as the weather starts playing its part, anyway.”
On the northern side of the theatre was a dairy and an office block that, during the construction of the facility, had served as a temporary HQ for Foster Construction staff overseeing the project.
That building had been purchased by Fosters’ commercial director Leonard Gardner, who was determined not to leave it an eyesore for long.
“The intention is to redevelop the property on the north of Embassy Plaza, once the existing leases are complete, to support the BNZ Theatre activity,” he said.
“This is likely to be a mix of office and retail spaces that engage with Embassy Plaza and Victoria St.”
Fosters’ commercial director Leonard Gardner plans to redevelop a property on the north of the Embassy Plaza. PHOTO: Kelly Hodel / WAIKATO TIMES.
220 Victoria St had served Foster Construction staff well during the theatre-building process - and soon it will begin a new life that will complement its neighbour, Leonard Gardner said. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
Much of the area surrounding the theatre was home to a suite of hospitality businesses owned by the Lawrenson Group.
Among them is the iconic bar The Bank, which was recently defaced by taggers, much to the chagrin of the company’s chief executive John Lawrenson.
Lawrenson said the arrival of the new theatre had automatically made other nearby buildings look bad by comparison - but a glut of vagrants and vandals and the ongoing loss of foot-traffic to the city’s shopping malls were also hurting the central city.
“It’s not just Hamilton. If you go for a walk down Queen St, down Cuba St, down Courtney Place - it all looks the same. Of course if you plonk a shiny $80 million building in the middle of it everything else will look shabby.
“I have been running bars for 20 years and most people don’t realise how hard it is to do business in New Zealand now ... there are higher costs, higher wage costs and higher rents. I was up till midnight last night doing building work in one of my bars.”
Lawrenson said he had several years to run on the lease of The Bank and, as well as quickly getting rid of the graffiti, he had plans to redecorate the building in 2027.
Another bar owned by the Lawrenson Group is the Coyote Bar on Victoria St. “Long term, I would love to do something different with it,” chief executive John Lawrenson said. PHOTO: Mark Taylor / WAIKATO TIMES.
The outdoor drinking areas at the House and Outback Bars on Hood St were also getting a revamp, he said.
“People like garden bars, and there are not enough of them in Hamilton.”
Around the corner in Victoria St are the nearby Furnace restaurant, and its neighbour, the Keystone bar.
“We gave Furnace a re-fit a few years ago. That’s a really successful restaurant for us. Keystone really needs a birthday [makeover].
And across the road was another Lawrenson venue - the site of the old Agenda bar, which is currently completely boarded up.
“We have been working on a concept for that site. It should be finished and opening in July or August this year.”