A wonderful pairing of intact historic buildings, #PublicBenefitBootery, Grainger Little Barlow & Hawkins, 1924 and #DevaHouse, 1926, #HarryNorris – but great changes planned that might keep only the front wall and a bit of side of the PBB, as part of plans to redevelop #TheWalkArcade superblock for a big hotel. It could instead be converted like #DevaHouse which is already a #boutiquehotel. (the PBB upstairs hasn’t been occupied since ‘the walk’ arcade created at ground level in 1980).

The laneway side is you know, ordinary, but its original, it’s all #steelframedwindows, interesting setbacks near the top, pity to lose all that.

Ps always loved this unique pair, which is a result of a subdivision of an original 1837 CBD block in the 19thC by sticking a lane down the middle, then building up to the #132ftheightlimit in the early 20thC, with distinctive Melbourne CBD #tallthinfrontages. When Norris did Deva House he must’ve decided to virtually match the earlier building, with the same horizontal divisions.

• development