Auckland’s CBD should be at its brightest right now, but this Christmas season has exposed just how far the city has slipped.

The former Smith and Caughey’s building - once the centre of Auckland’s festive traditions with its iconic window displays and enchanted forest - now sits dark.

Across the CBD, retail spending is down, site vacancy rates are up, and the district has been plagued by stalled developments and empty lots.

But could a new life for Auckland be on the horizon? The long-awaited City Rail Link is set open next year and Seascape, the country’s tallest residential tower, is resuming construction after a series of delays.

Today on The Front Page, NZ Herald property editor Anne Gibson joins us to unpack what’s really happening in the heart of Auckland and whether we might see a Christmas miracle for the City of Sails.

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