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| Meriton Tower in 2013. Photo taken by the Author. |
Meriton Tower is a 48 level tower located on the former site of the Village Cinema Centre in George Street. The tower designed by Harry Seidler was completed in 2007 and also the headquarters of the Meriton Group.
Prior to Meriton developing the site, there were at least two proposals to redevelop the site. One was in 1990 for a 41 level office tower rising above a rebuilt cinema complex with 10 screens and retail podium. The site area was larger, also encompassing the site of the Greater Union Cinema Complex. Though Village Cinemas and Greater Union were separate chains, they were apart of The Greater union Organisation, a subsidiary of Amalgamated Holdings (Currently known as Event Hospitality & Entertainment).
Source: Harbour, D. 1990. "New Look for Cinema Strip". The Sunday Telegraph, February 4: 36.
The development was also proposed at the same time as plans were also proposed to redevelop the Hoyts Cinema and Regent Theatre sites.
It was anticipated that work would commence that year.
Source: Walkley, P. 1990. "New Sydney movie complex". The Australian Financial Review, February 6: page unknown.
A second plan was unveiled in 1998 focusing on a 50 level hotel and apartment complex which formed the basis for Meriton's future development of the site. Under this scheme designed by architect,Steve Zappia, the tower would be built by developer George Drivas.
Meriton Tower would focus on an all residential configuration, but the hotel component would include serviced apartments.
Source: Totaro, P. 1998. "$200m tower plan for cinema strip". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 17: 3.
Source: Skelsey, M. "Hotel tower to bury village". The Daily Telegraph, April 17: 6.
Meriton Tower was approved around 2002 (Need confirmation on this) but demolition work commenced towards the end of that year before completion in 2006.
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| Above: A rendering of the proposed Commonwealth Bank Tower from 1989. Full citation below |
In 1989, the Commonwealth Bank unveiled plans to build a major tower above it's former Pitt Street head office.
The proposed tower rose 39 levels but was set back from Martin Place. The tower would have risen where the current 5 Martin Place tower rises. It was anticipated that the tower with around 43 000sq/m of office space would be completed by 1993. The recession of the early 1990's put an end to plans. The non-heritage section of the building at its eastern end would have been demolished.
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| Photo taken by the author (2016). |
Below is a newspaper advertisement from 1997 promoting the sale of apartments in The Madison which is located in Pelican Street. One bedroom apartments were on sale from $197 000 and two bedroom apartments on sale from $319 000.
Source: City Unit Sales Project Marketing. 1997. "Come Home to the Madison" (Advertisement)". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 24: 16RE.
The Capitol Theatre is one of four major theatres located within the Sydney CBD and its immediate surrounds. It's main competitors include the State Theatre, Theatre Royal and the Lyric Theatre at The Star.
The theatre is nearly a century old, completed in 1928 with a capacity for around 2000 people. It was closed in 1983 and reopened in 1995 after a redevelopment of the site which included a retail complex and a hotel facing Pitt Street.
In 1989, tenders were called for the redevelopment of the site.
Winner
Ipoh Constructions
This is what the eventual redevelopment was based on with the redeveloped theatre, hotel and retail complex. The retail complex includes the atrium that is found there today. The hotel building was eventually redesigned. Architect was Andrew Andersons of Peddle Thorp Walker.
Alternative Schemes
Bond Corporation
Redevelopment of the theatre also included a 30 Storey office tower facing George Street and a 13 level hotel facing Pitt Street.
Capital Land Corporation
Along with a restored theatre, redevelopment plans included a 42 level office tower facing George Street and a 300 room, four star hotel facing Pitt Street.
Essington
In addition to the existing theatre, a second theatre with a capacity for 1 200 patrons was planned for the Pitt Street side of the site along with a thirty level office tower facing George Street.
Below is a double-page newspaper advertisement that was published in The Daily Telegraph on April 9 1966 by Stocks and Holdings Projects to showcase a selection of land releases that were on offer across Sydney.
Source: Stocks & Holdings Projects. 1966. "For Sydney's Best Land Values Follow These Signs" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, April 9: 36-37.
Source: Anon. 1971. "$45Million Investment...Rents to aid SCEGGS' Costs". The Daily Telegraph
In 1971, the Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School (SCEGGS) lodged plans with Sydney City Council for a twin tower development on land that was partially owned by the school in Darlinghurst. The development was bounded by William, Forbes and Bourke Street's.
Source: Anon. 1971. "SCEGGS Plans $45m Complex". The Daily Mirror, September 16: 7.
The scheme proposed comprised of two towers. One tower would be forty stories tall with the second tower rising twenty stories.
Cost of construction would have cost $45 million but for SCEGGS, the income stream from rental of commercial space in the towers would have kept fee increases to a minimum.
Unfortuantely, I do not have any information about why the scheme did not proceed.
Source: Anon. 1971. "SCEGGS As A Developer". The Sydney Morning Herald, September 17: page unknown.
