21 November 2024

All that’s left of the 1938 Victoria Car Park in Little Collins Street, something we failed to save while I was at the National Trust. The Scots Church on Collins Street, who own everything down to George’s, first proposed a tall hotel in the 90s, despite a 30m height limit, but we then got the car park, Melbourne’s first such building, designed by Marcus Barlow, on the heritage register. It was L shaped, with a front on Russell Street as well. Then in about 2010 they tried again and planning minister Justin Madden intervened, allowing a 50m tower, and for all but one facade of the carpark to be demolished. In the process a nice enough Edwardian warehouse and the 1920s Scots Church Hall were also demolished. So a nice low scale set of buildings exchanged for a glassy lump, completed 2014. At least they made it dark glass so it doesn’t stand out as much as it might have. Just like the later Wesley Church deal, the Scots Church got $5mill to restore the church (not that it was decrepit) and get $1mill in rent, I hope it’s indexed. Most photos mine I think, the white tower image was prepared for the Trust, last 2 pics the internet.

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