Original post 12 July 2020, new photos 2024

Repost 2020: The Regal on Fitzroy Street St Kilda isnt just an old building with added floors, it’s amalgam of 3 different periods. Starting out as a Victorian villa, in 1922 it was greatly enlarged by adding a 4 storey building to the front, and a huge long wing to the rear, by the prolific JR Daley, who had earlier built the Majestic next door. In fact judging from the lack of ads for anything called the Regal and the 1928 ad for the Majestic showing both, they probably operated as one huge guest house. The main 1922 door lead light and timber stair and lobby beyond are surprisingly intact. It eventually became more of a rooming house, operated separately and named the Regal at some point, then in I think the mid 90s, the rear part was handed over /sold to St Kilda Council (it’s still a rooming house) and the rest converted to apartments, and the 3 extra floors added (annoying to add anything at all but at least it’s simple and modern, with a nice neon too), and two added to the Victorian house to boot. They also made a sort of arcade at ground level with shops setback, and up a few steps, rather odd, but sort of nice.

Update 2024: the neon sign is covered with netting, last pic, hope it comes back, and found some interiors, one from the front, one in the Victorian part. Nice bakery there now, @ryeanddough. Pics 4,5,9, 2024

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