Vibrant window artwork and displays could soon replace drab ‘For Lease' signs scattered among empty buildings in Downtown Tauranga as part of a CBD revitalisation shake-up.

Mainstreet Tauranga is set to approach commercial property landlords with the initiative in a bid to transform empty shop fronts – enticing potential tenants in the process.

Boarded-up premises painted to look like busy shops in Great Britain. Photo: Rose and Trev Clough.

Mainstreet Tauranga co-ordinator Sally Cooke says the project, still in its infancy, will look to encourage landlords to ‘lease' their shop windows to businesses and retailers so they could mount attractive displays.

'One idea is to work with landlords and see if they would be happy for their windows to have some more dynamic artwork, and that sort of thing that dresses up the look and feel of the city, so people wandering through see something visual.

'In other cities across the world they have put activities and events and displays inside the windows.”

The artwork and information could also appear on the windows of buildings undergoing earthquake strengthening, says Sally.

The initiative undertaken globally has seen shops in the United Kingdom and America transformed to imitate barber shops, butchers and corner dairies.

'It would be nice to think that it can assist in the look and feel of the city but also re-lease them [the stores].

'It's completely dependent on those property owners wanting to be involved.”

Priority One projects manager Annie Hill says it is a 'wonderful idea” not only increasing the CBD's vibrancy but also showcasing properties to potential future tenants.

Instead of being plastered with ‘For Lease' signs the premises will be tidier and more appealing, says Annie.

'This type of thing is done overseas. Some cities have artists that paint paintings on the glass.

'And other cities I saw the paintings were a 3D interior of a retail outlet.”

Mount Maunganui Focus on Property property consultant David Baker thinks the idea has real promise.

The company has recently secured a tenant for its final building in the Tauranga CBD, but David says they welcome any help the commercial sector can get.

'We have seen it across in Rotorua that the council have been pretty proactive in putting murals up, or trying to make shop fronts a bit more presentable, which has worked quite well.

'It just disguises the fact of several different real estate signs which is good.”