When we purchased the Regents Court building in August 1987 we felt that Kings Cross had sunk about as low as it could go. Sadly it continued to get worse into the mid- nineties. The strip actually got to the point where it was controlled by criminals and thugs, the area was awash with drugs and violence was commonplace. Profitable businesses were based on sex or drugs or often both.

Thank God for the Royal Commission without which recovery was impossible. Set up in 1994 it exposed the depravity and lawlessness that had been denied for so long. Progress was slow until the Real Estate boom of 2001 to 2003 which laid the foundations for a permanent Kings Cross recovery.

The tourist hotels became so valuable as residential units that most of them closed for conversion. This led to thousands of mainly young affluent professional moving into the area.

Also businesses that relied on tourists became less viable and many closed – these included tacky souvenir shops as well as some sex shops.

The Royal Commission and Real Estate boom were fundamental stepping stones for the Cross but so was the medically supervised injecting centre which opened in May 2001. It led to a huge improvement in street amenity both for businesses and residents alike. We have witnessed two deaths in Springfield mall beside our hotel and our staff probably saved many others by phoning for help.

Our guests constantly complained about public shooting up, needles left everywhere on the street and drug related assaults often in the middle of ht night. Many guests couldn’t stomach it and checked out. Ambulance sirens were heard day and night.

We have noticed continuing improvement over the last five years. The number of drug affected people on the streets have dropped to almost nil and we are thrilled to see more children in the neighbourhood. Now we have most nights with no sirens and days with no evidence of shooting up.

The police and MSIC have worked together to bring about a huge improvement in amenity and the possibility of quiet enjoyment in the area. A walk down McLeay Street will stun anyone who has not visited the area for a few years – the demographic changes have led to many exciting, new and profitable shops. Victoria Street is another example of these positive changes. Last week we got a butcher back after many years without one – that’s important.

The strip, however has been very slow to change. The necessary Council initiative to beautify the strip affected the profitability of many businesses while work was going on – Of course in some instance this was a desirable result.

Other problems in attracting new businesses to the strip area are high rents and some residual slease.
Historically landlords expected high rents because of the very profitable drug and sex industries – landlords expected a share too.
Commercial reality means rents are coming down, sleaze is slowly but surely being driven out and Macleay and Victoria streets have virtually no retail space left.

The Duncan and Short families, owners of Loft, Bungalow 8 and Cargo at King Street Wharf (all very successful and respectable bars and restaurants) operate the Gazebo Wine Garden overlooking Fitzroy Gardens which opened a month ago.

The families have now bought the Westpac Bank Building and are about to start a major development of the building. They are exremely aware of emerging areas and their reinvestment is a very positive sign.

The council library and the The City East Neighbourhood Service Centre led the way by restoring and occupying a landmark building in the centre of the strip.
The Flight Centre, Froth Café, Violetta’s Café and the Britiish Lolly Shop have recently opened on the strip.

The Bourbon had a very extravagant renovation.
Les Girls is now the Empire Hotel.
The Vegas Hotel has spent a fortune on expansion and renovation.

The Commonwealth Bank and Hungry Jacks buildings are about to undergo major transformation.

At one end of the strip the Kings Cross Hotel is undergoing a $6 million restoration and refurbishment.

We shouldn’t forget the Village Centre which is scheduled for demolition and redevelopment.

The MSIC has been a critical part of an extraordinary effort by lots of services and people to revitalise Kings Cross and rescue it form the sewer it had become in the 80’s and 90’s.

One of the deaths beside our building was of a young male tourist who was apparently experimenting with heroin for the first time. If he had injected at the MSIC I’m sure he would be alive and presumably drug free today.

It would be a great credit to politicians if they could agree on bipartisan support for the MSIC – all the evidence says it deserves it.

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