In this entry in the latest instalment of Never Built Sydney, I look at one of the never-built proposals for what is now the site of the Centennial Plaza complex in Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills (Opposite Central Station). The site comprises three office towers—16, 13, and 10 levels, respectively—a public square, and ground-floor retail.
The site was originally home to the Tooheys Brewery, which opened in 1875
In 1976, Tooheys shifted its brewing operations to its present site Lidcombe. They sought to redevelop the site, blending in the old with the new. This included two 16-storey office buildings and the retention of historical buildings fronting Mary Street. 84-86 Mary Street (separate site) would also be preserved and eventually was converted into office space.
Source: Jones, J. 1980. "Tooheys plans to spend $35m on old brewery". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 11: 19.
What makes this proposal stand out from the eventual complex is the incorporation of heritage into the development. It may have limited the space for the office buildings and clustered them closer to each other, but it would have been more friendly to the streetscape and sympathetic to Surry Hills itself.
One downside is that the buildings would appear aged today but could potentially be ripe for redevelopment in Sydney of 2025.
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