The remaking of Oxford Street

It's one of Sydney's liveliest locations: close to the city, Hyde Park, many of the best eateries and it has a predominantly young and creative population. So why is Oxford Street such a grim and dreary place?
Today, for instance, it looks like a back street in a ghost town, with only the odd passer-by for the beggars to grab, a scattering of empty shopfronts and a busker strumming an out-of-tune guitar in front of a greasy takeaway joint.
"Its heyday was probably in the 1920s, between the wars," says City of Sydney historian Shirley Fitzgerald. "Back then, when few people had cars, people wanted to live close to the city and Oxford Street was very, very busy, with good shops, a couple of department stores, cheap eating places and smart restaurants."
And now? "Tawdry, I think is the word that describes it," says Marcus Bourget, the man in charge of the one event of the year when Oxford Street looks good: the Mardi Gras parade.
"It's a shame. Oxford Street is such a special place for the gay and lesbian community and has such huge potential but today it does require sustained investment for some urban regeneration flats and to make sure it reaches that potential."
Despite its position, it has been allowed to languish, with apartments clustered around the strip no longer highly prized or even sought after. However, with plans by the City of Sydney Council for a major overhaul, hopes are high that Oxford Street might grab back its long-lost glory and glamour and, once again, become a lifestyle, cafe, apartment and investment mecca.