NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Village Cinema Centre Redevelopment (1990)

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.