An inner-city favourite for shoppers, diners and revellers is experiencing a makeover.
Crown Street’s $34 million upgrade will improve the space between Devonshire and Oxford streets.
Expect to see wider footpaths, new paving and intersection enhancements to provide more space for people walking, high-quality lighting on multifunction smart poles and improved street furniture like bubblers, benches, bins and bike racks.
Taking a stroll will be more pleasant with new garden beds planted and cooler with more trees boosting canopy cover by 50%. An extra 10 parking spaces will be added to Crown Street, making grabbing a bite or doing some shopping a little easier.
Construction will be carefully staged to limit disruption to businesses and residents. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for the strip’s eclectic mix of shops, restaurants and cafes.
"Crown Street is the heart of Surry Hills and Darlinghurst, and this upgrade will make it greener, safer and more attractive. By improving main streets and providing more space outdoors, there’s extra room for businesses and residents. This encourages customers to linger, increasing trade in a pleasant environment."
Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO
Council endorsed final designs for the Crown Street upgrade project in early 2023 after 6 months of community and local business consultation, responding to concerns and feedback.
Works on the northern end of Crown Street are complete. This final phase of works will improve the area between Forveaux and Devonshire streets and take around 6 months to complete, weather and other conditions permitting.
The works follow on from a string of transformative upgrades to our inner-city streets, namely George Street’s fully pedestrianised boulevard and improvements to Macleay Street, Potts Point.
And the message to new visitors and regulars to the area? All your favourite restaurants, cafes, retailers and other stores are still very much open for business.
Find out more about Crown Street's upgrade.
Published 30 June 2025
