Cross Street is widely recognised because of its distinctive “skyways” built in the 1960s, which allow pedestrian access between Karangahape Road (K Road) and the Cross Street/Mercury Lane car park.
When the motorways were put through Newton Gully, retailers on Karangahape Road were worried that the removal of local residents would affect their business. This and the combination of increased private car ownership and competition from suburban malls diverted customers away from the area.
Banding together, local businesses George Courts, Modern Bags, McKenzies, Pascoes and Rendells organised the finances to build the car park building, selecting a site directly behind their stores. A significant part of the design were several skyways allowing pedestrian access to and from their premises on Karangahape Road.
There were four skyways in total, including one that connected to the Rendells Department Store and one that connected to the Modern Bags building – a new construction designed with a shopping arcade, which had internal links into the McKenzies store to the east and the George Courts store to the west. Another private skyway connected the Barker & Pollock department store to their warehouses on the south side of Cross Street. Three skyways remain today.
