Monday 30 October 2023

1990: Old Fairfax Building demolition collapse

Old Fairfax Building Collapse August 9 1990 daily telegraph 1 enlarged
Source: Anon. 1990. "Building crashes on city workers". The Daily Telegraph, August 9: 1. 

Walking down Hunter Street in 2023, one may notice that the former Hunter Connection Office Building is being demolished as part of the new Hunter Street Metro Station construction. A new building will replace the 21-level/89-metre building from 1986.

Directly opposite is 20 Hunter Street, a 16-level office building constructed by Leda Holdings and completed in 1998. Initially, the tower was to have preserved the facades of the four buildings occupying the site, including the old Fairfax Building.

Leda Tower Hunter Street January 13 1990 SMH 38 enlarged 

Source: Anon. 1990. Untitled. In Paul Pottinger and Jonathan Chancellor, "Rest of unsafe facade to come tumbling down", The Sydney Morning Herald, August 14 1990: 27. 

Just before 1pm on August 8 1990, scaffolding and brickwork from two buildings collapsed onto Hunter Street, injuring seven people. Given the magnitude of the damage, it is amazing that no one was killed, including one construction worker who fell twenty metres. The other six injured comprised of five pedestrians and a motorist. 

Below is coverage from The Daily Telegraph from 9 August 1990.

Old Fairfax Building collapse August 9 1990 daily telegraph 4-5

I have enlarged the photographs for your viewing.

Old Fairfax Building Collapse August 9 1990 daily telegraph 4-5 enlarged B

Old Fairfax Building Collapse August 9 1990 daily telegraph 4-5 enlarged A

This photograph shows which facades collapsed. Old Fairfax Building Collapse August 9 1990 daily telegraph 4-5 enlarged C 

After the collapse in 1990, the facades were demolished and not incorporated into the building that was built. 

Leda Holdings Hunter Street Tower August 14 1990 SMH 27

Source: Pottinger, P. & Chancellor, J. 1990. "Rest of unsafe facade to come tumbling down". The Sydney Morning Herald, August 14:27.

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