Landlords to lift their game

SOME say the Central Business District of Cairns is dying.

That Shields St is suffering because of the closure to traffic and landscaping which “hides” troublemakers.

Others fear that Centrelink, Medicare and child support services shifting to the old Masters complex at Portsmith will draw more office workers and customers away from the CBD.

There are many empty shopfronts as well and some believe the Esplanade has become the new focal point of the CBD.

But there are some thriving sections of the CBD, including Grafton and Lakes streets, and soon Abbott St will become the road paved almost with gold.

Property investor Frank Gasparin is spending more than $1 million facelifting buildings on either side of the Abbott and Spence street corner.

The Kamsler brothers are completely redeveloping a building next to the former Courthouse Hotel which will become a striking new office, retail and dining drawcard.

Cairns Regional Council has plans for a complete refurbishment of the Courthouse Hotel to hopefully became part of the Cairns art and cultural precinct incorporating the current gallery and former Mulgrave Shire building.

The council is also spending $832,000 to upgrade the footpaths from Spence St to Wharf St and down past the DFS Galleria.

The Katies Centre will become a new indoor entertainment centre and not forgetting the opening soon of Crystalbrook’s Flynn and Bailey hotels near the City Library.

But it is time Woolworths and their landlord fixed up the horrible stretch of footpath outside the supermarket.