The owner of the Carnegie Centre heritage building in central Dunedin says theatres should be created there.
Darryl Jones told a Dunedin City Council annual plan hearing yesterday he could help deal with an apparent shortage of viable small venues by selling the Moray Pl building to the council.
He proposed the Carnegie Centre site as suitable for conversion into a complete performing arts hub that could include two theatres, a restaurant and rehearsal space.
"There’s 2200sq m of usable space," Mr Jones said.
The Carnegie Centre has not previously been part of council considerations about potential development of a mid-sized theatre.
Mr Jones said the idea struck him about August last year.
The centre, established as a public library early in the 20th century, has housed such activities as a costume-hire facility, hairdressing salon and the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra.
