History Auckland CBD

the town of auckland created in 1840 first european colonisation of area, marked official ceremony on non-existent point britomart. initial centre of new town focused on corner of shortland , queen streets, @ shoreline of commercial bay. approximately junction, main wharf ran north off end of queen street, shortland street leading fort britomart , government house, around many of richer people built houses. shortland street tended location of more important businesses , of luxury shops of mid 19th century. 1850s onwards saw increasing number of businesses, , retail, locating further south along queen street, still day forms spine of area.

in 1841, 1 year after european founding, census counted approximately 2,000 people, mechanics largest group @ 250, , other groups of note being 150 agricultural labourers, 100 shopkeepers, 100 domestic servants, , 125 upper class members .

during remainder of 19th century, commercial bay progressively filled in, allowing northward extension of queen street , creation of fort street, customs street, , quay street. part of queen street north of customs street today referred informally lower queen street.

as being location of great many multi-storey warehouses, lower queen street area contained many manufacturing businesses, though many of these started move other areas such freeman s bay, newton , parnell, if took lot of room (such timber yards) or created noise or pollution (such brick yards or foundries). until middle of 20th century centre of town still contained large number of small factories including clothing manufacturers.

the relocation of industries outlying suburbs became pronounced in 1950s, partly due incentives made council planners create industrial areas in penrose , rosebank road (amongst others) , rid inner city area of noise, pollution , heavy traffic. mirrored development of suburban shopping malls (the first being lynnmall in 1963) enticed retailers vacate inner city well. attempts council halt pattern constructing numerous public car parking buildings met varying success. rise of suburban supermarket , mall shopping created in places such pakuranga 1965 onwards has been added appearance of big box retailers in places such botany , north shore.

residential numbers in inner city (including inner suburbs) declining in 20th century 1920s. in two-mile zone surrounding cbd, there approximately 70,000 people in 1926, around 50,000 in 1966 - change made more marked development of remainder of auckland s population, grew more fourfold in same timeframe. in 1990s, token population of around 1,400 still residing within cbd, though grow substantially boom of new apartment buildings around turn of millennium. around 24,000 apartment units exist of 2010.