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| Above: A render of the proposed 42-level tower as part of the redevelopment of the Anthony Horderns site at Brickfield Hill (World Square).Full Citation Below. |
Welcome to a new series of Never Built Sydney focusing on the buildings and developments that were proposed for Sydney but never went ahead or alternate schemes for existing developments.
In 2016, I posted an entry on a mid 1960's proposal from Anthony Hordern & Sons to redevelop their existing store at Brickfield Hill (now World Square). Since then, I found more clippings about the proposed tower and can share more information.
At the time of the original posting, I mentioned that the plans were dated from 1965, when they were unveiled in 1964.
The redevelopment proposal was conceived in response to the decline in trade at the Brickfield Hill store associated with the increased appeal of suburban shopping malls appearing across the Sydney metropolitan region. The company was operating at a financial loss.
Source: Anon. 1964. "Anthony Hordern Plans a £9m Building on City Site". The Sydney Morning Herald, October 31: 1.
In addition, there was a push by local and state governments to revive the southern end of the Sydney CBD, and this project was seen as a catalyst for future development in that section of the city. Given concerns about lost trade, increased commercial and residential development within that area would in turn attract more customers.
To attract trade, a forty-two-level tower comprising office space and apartments was planned for the rear of the existing building (Liverpool Street side) facing Swan Street. It was projected to rise 527 feet (161 metres) from the George Street end of the tower. Swan Street itself would be redeveloped into a pedestrian "concourse" linking George and Pitt Streets.
In 1965, it was reported that the tower would be complete by 1968 at the earliest.
Source: Johnson, B. 1965. "They'll live it up on top of the town". The Sun Herald, September 26: 45.
The estimated cost of construction was $20 million. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator this would be equivalent to around $295 million today.
There was an advertising campaign in 1966 to promote the redevelopment, but nothing was mentioned about it after that date.
This advertisement (below) was published in The Sunday Telegraph on 31 July 1966.
The Sydney Morning Herald published a two-page spread on 1 August 1966.
Anthony Hordern & Sons continued to struggle. In 1969, the Brickfield Hill site was closed and the company itself was taken over by Waltons Ltd. in 1970 (Click here to view my entry on the end of Anthony Horderns). The takeover did not include the purchase of the site at Brickfield Hill which was sold separately.
This tower was one of several "Never Builts" for what is now the site of World Square. You may find the following entries of interest.
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