Remember this? North Shore "snow" event (1965)

Snow events in Sydney are rare. On June 28 1836, it was reported that one inch of snow (2.5cm) fell in some parts of the city. The minimum temperature recorded on that date was 38 degrees Fahrenheit or three degrees Celsius. 

However some doubt given Sydney's climate that the snow could have been mistaken for hail. 

In Sydney's history, reports of snow have emerged especially in suburbs at higher elevations e.g. North Shore or suburbs in the Sutherland Shire such as Engadine or Heathcote. Many of these have been dismissed as meteorologists determined that the precipitation was hail. Graupel is light hail and is often confused with snow.

One such "snow" event was on July 18 1965 when heavy snow was reported to have fallen on the North Shore. Sydney's minimum temperature was reported at forty degrees farenheit (4.5 degrees), before peaking at 54 degrees farenheit (12 degrees celsius). The Daily Telegraph reported that one inch (2.5cm) of snow fell at Killara. Below is the newspaper feature that also reported on the snowfall plus the wild weather that affected the rest of the Sydney region dating from July 19 1965.

Property Advert of the Week: Land Bargains by John L. Nichols & Co in "The Daily Telegraph" (1965)

Below is a 1965 newspaper advertisement by John L. Nichols & Co that promoted land releases in suburbs across Sydney.

Source: John L. Nichols & Co. Pty. Ltd. 1965. "A page of bargains!!" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, October 16: 51. 

Source: John L. Nichols & Co. Pty Ltd. 1965

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: 420 George Street (1971)

Full Citation Below

Welcome to the last entry in our current series of "Never Builts"

The first proposal to build an office tower at 420 George Street dates back to 1971, nearly four decades before a tower would rise.

At the time, the site was home to Anthony Horderns Mid City store, Curzons and Katies. 

Source: Fryeberg, I. 1971. "Plan for $13m city building". The Sydney Morning Herald, March 18: 11.

Tjuringa Securities Ltd, owned by Gordon Barton proposed a 46 level office building. Unlike the current tower which stretches from George Street through to Pitt Street,  It stretched from north to south and was positioned towards Pitt Street.

The reasons for its cancellation are unknown, but options to build remained open for another three decades. When the original Mid-City Centre opened in 1982, it was designed to accomodate a future tower development.

Despite this, the centre was demolished in 2010 with a new Mid City Centre rising on the site and topped off by a 36 level office tower. This was lower than the 46 levels proposed in 1971, but height limits and sun access planes into Hyde Park meant any tower built had to avoid its shadow encroaching on the park. 

Property Advert of the Week: 237 Underwood Street, Paddington (1967)

Below is a 1967 newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale at 237 Underwood Street, Paddington. 

Source: Haining & Morris Pty. Ltd. 1967. "Home Units Selling Fast!! Paddington - Woollahra" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, September 9; 20.

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: 1960's tower proposal for Regent Theatre Site (1969)

The former site of the Regent Theatre in George Street is currently home to the Norman Foster designed Lumiere Residences and Fraser Suites. 

In the 1980's and 1990's there were several proposals to redevelop the site, which I plan to share in a future series on the site itself. Some readers may remember the attempts to save the theatre and proposals as the site lay idle throughout the 1990's and early 2000's.

Two decades prior to the demolition of the Regent, there was an attempt to demolish and replace the theatre and build a tower rising 40 levels above street level. The proposed height would be equivalent to the Lumiere Residences which rises around 150 metres from street level.

Below is an article from The Daily Telegraph from 1969 reporting on the proposed tower and that it was to be recommended for approval by Sydney City Council.

Source: Anon. 1969. "For Regent Site...Two Theatres Planned in 44-Storey Block". The Daily Telegraph, October 28: 7.

While this scheme would have seen the demolition the 1928 building, the scheme was advantageous in maintaining the presence of a theatre on the site but also acting as a live entertainment venue,

It is hard to predict what may have happened had the scheme gone ahead. Given the Regent Theatre was primarily used for films, a two screen cinema complex would have been unviable given the closure of city cinemas and the rise of multiplex cinemas in the decades ahead. It may have also provided Sydney with much needed entertainment space, especially as the decades wore on including live productions. Consider the lack of performance space in Sydney in 2021 which has made it difficult to attract live theatre (This will gain traction as the city returns to pre-COVID-19 normality). The theatre space itself would have had to be modified.

As for the office tower itself - It appears slender in the artists impression, similar to the adjoining Sydney County Council Building and the former Waterboard building. This office tower may be residential, unless it was given heritage listing.

Property Advert of the Week : S. Brischetto Homes Ad (1968)

Below is a 1968 newspaper advertisement, promoting new three bedroom homes for a $990 deposit, located within the Fairfield region.

 

Source: S. Brischetto. 1968. Untitled (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, June 22: 42. 

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Angel Arcade (1988)

Welcome to Part 8 in our series of "Never Builts".

In 1988, AMP unveiled plans to build Sydney's tallest office tower - a 43 level, 244 metre office tower at 123 Pitt Street designed by architects Dino Burattini and Peddle Thorp Walker. Burattini was also the architect behind 52 Martin Place. 

It was envisaged that the tower would commence construction in 1989, but Sydney City Council did not give approval until 1990.

Source: Chancellor, J. 1988. "AMP plans $530 million office development for Sydney." The Sydney Morning Herald, August 13: 37. 

At the time it was the tallest skyscraper to be approved for construction in the Sydney CBD. 

The development also included a 13 level office building to be built on George Street, which is the present site of Justin Hemmes Ivy complex. 

Construction commenced the same year with excavations completed. The development was deferred by AMP as office vacancy rates increased in central Sydney during the recession of 1990-1991. The site was not completely vacant with a temporary golf driving range operating on the site.

Source: Anon. 1996. "City driving range is music to their ears". The Daily Telegraph, December 19: 20. 

The Pitt Street site remained idle until 1996, when a new development application (DA) was lodged due to the expiration of the DA. Changes to planning guidelines during the mid 1990's reduced the height of any tower built on the site to protect the sun access plane into Martin Place. That is why the tower has a sloped roof.

AMP were granted approval for the current tower - Angel Place which rose to a maximum of 152 metres or 35 levels. The tower including the new City Recital Hall was completed in 2000.

The George Street site remained vacant and was the last of the infamous "holes in the ground" from the 1990-91 recession to be filled. Proposals to build an office building were explored, but did not proceed. Justin Hemmes developed the site into the Ivy nightclub in 2007 which also included bars, restaurants and retail at street level. 

Finally, I was lucky in 2013 to photograph a "block model" of the tower which was inserted into the model of the Sydney CBD at Town Hall House. This provides an idea of how it may have looked when viewed from different parts of central Sydney. Thanks to Richard Braddish for his support.

Property Advert of the Week: Maroubra Home Units Ad (1967)

Below is an advertisement by Stocks and Holdings to promote Home Units that were for sale in Broome Street, Maroubra dating from 1967. Note that unit prices were controlled by the council, and not the developer.

Source: Stocks & Holdings Projects. 1967. "Maroubra Beach Units" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, September 9:20.