Reidy’s facade, Lonsdale Street

19 April 2024

The lovely arched bricked facade of Reidy’s 1911 warehouse in Lonsdale Street near Spencer used to dominate the streetscape; now it’s getting lost amongst the towers, with another one coming. Its yet another example of facadism, only the front wall and short bits of side wall were retained, at least the tower is set back, but the silly graphics on the black box of the carpark levels is rather dominating, and the tower is another uninspired design from #centralequity. It got a permit back in 2010 from Justin Madden, completed 2016. Just now the super dense four tower development in the old Age building site is nearly completed, and it’s got steppy glossy lower levels, interesting, but just feels like a huge glassy mound, and the street is now quite dark – I had to really lighten the photos ! And another tower coming up in the corner, pic 4, so just darkness except for mid summer. I’ve got a before photo from 2011, one from behind after demo, one of the demolished rear, and one of the laneway facade, partly made out of recycled bricks, which just looks like a bit more facadism.