East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): CML's 1990 Scheme

In part six of our series, focusing on the redevelopment of East Circular Quay, I am going to focus on 1989 and 1990 as Colonial Mutual Life (CML) undertook further acquisitions of buildings and sites on the block and proposed their plans to redevelop the site.

Last week, I posted this article from The Sydney Morning Herald from 1988 because it focused on why Unilever House was demolished. The article focused on CML acquiring Lend Lease House for $57 million, which adjoined Bennelong House, which it already owned.

 

Source: Sing, T. & Chancellor, J. 1988. "Space bonus for Quay block". The Sydney Morning Herald, June 7: 34.

In February 1989, it was reported in The Sydney Morning Herald that CML had purchased another three sites - Hope House, 35-37 Macquarie Street and Unilever Hotel Site. All purchases were undertaken separately and had cost CML $250 million.

Source: Chancellor, J. 1989. "The best block of land in the country cost only $250m". The Sydney Morning Herald, February 10: 1. 

Therefore, the purchases would extinguish the hotel that was to replace Unilever House and the Jedobo development next door. 

CML presented their plans to redevelop the now combined site that same year to Sydney City Council, though it would be the following year before the first plans were made public.

Source: Chancellor, J. 1990. "Controversial plan for Circular Quay East like a 'wingless 747'". The Sydney Morning Herald, October 24: 8. 

The plans were leaked to the public and were "likened to a wingless 747 about to hit the Opera House". The architect was Dino Burattini, the architect behind Melbourne's Rialto Towers and the State Bank Building (52 Martin Place) in Martin Place. The building would rise up to 30 storeys tall.

While that plan didn't get off the ground, CML Would unveil a more realistic scheme the following year, which will be the focus of the next entry in the series. However, next week, with the Royal Easter Show due to commence, I will spend two weeks looking at the 1999 Royal Easter Show as I turn back the clock a quarter of a century. 

Entries in this series

1. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The first apartment block proposal (1979)
2. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme (1984)
3. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1986)
4. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme Revisited (1986)
5. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1987)

East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1987)

Welcome to Part 5 of our series on the redevelopment of East Circular Quay. This week, we return to the redevelopment of Unilever House into a hotel. 

A fortnight ago, I shared clippings relating to the 1986 proposal by Molena Holdings Pty. Ltd. to convert the 16-level Unilever House (current site of 1 Bennelong) from an office building into a hotel with 223 rooms. The estimated cost was $75 million.

In 1986, conditional approval was given, with final approval granted in 1987.

 

Source: Howell, A. 1987. "Go-ahead for $100 million hotel at Quay". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 30: 2. 

The hotel was to be known as The Grand Luxe Hotel, managed by the Beaufort International Group. Hotel rates were to range from $500 per night to $2000 per night. It was anticipated that the development would be completed by December 1988. Demolition began later that year.

Demolition work came to an abrupt halt in 1988. Civil and Civic were tasked with demolition works but had to vacate the site. The company was unable to respond to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald on February 23 1988. Speculation about the development arose - Was it going ahead? Were there plans to buy 35-37 Macquarie Street and propose an even bigger development? Would it still remain a hotel development, or would an office building be built?

Source: Boson, N. 1988. "Questions remain about Quay hotel project". The Sydney Morning Herald, February 23:32. 

However, in March 1988, the demolition of the concrete shell of the building was approved. It was reported that concrete cancer was discovered but was rejected by the developers, citing that the "internal structure did not suit the hotel development". 

 

Source: Reader, R. 1988. "Concrete cancer, bureaucracy cause delays to quay project". The Weekend Australian, March 26-27: 2 (Property Section).

Source: Sing, T. & Chancellor, J. 1988. "Space bonus for Quay block". The Sydney Morning Herald, June 7: 34. 

The article above makes a reference to plans by Colonial Mutual Limited (CML) to demolish two buildings it owned further down the strip (Bennelong House and Lend Lease House) and build one office building spanning both sites. CML's plans for East Circular Quay will be the focus of upcoming entries as they become the main player on the block for the first half of the 1990s. 

There was criticism of the proposed hotel. Firstly, the concrete shell of Unilever House remained, gaining eyesore status. Simply, demolition of what was left had to occur. Secondly, it was an intrusion, like the other buildings at East Circular Quay, blocking the view of the Sydney Opera House from Circular Quay. The demolition of Unilever House had started to open up the view. Thirdly, the hotel would not cater to tourists who travel on a budget.   

The Daily Telegraph explored this in depth on May 20 1988.

 

Meanwhile, at 35-37 Macquarie Street, Jedobo Pty. Ltd. were still planning to proceed with the development of their site but had shifted to a mostly commercial development with two floors to comprise part residential and part office space. The building was to be 20 storeys tall. 

Our series continues next week.

Entries in this series

1. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The first apartment block proposal (1979)
2. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme (1984)
3. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1986)
4. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme Revisited (1986)

East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Unilever House Hotel Conversion (1986)

Source: Anon. 1988. Untitled (illustration). The Weekend Australian, April 2: 1 (Property Liftout).

In part three of our series on the redevelopment of East Circular Quay, I look at the proposal to redevelop Unilever House through the conversion of the office building into a hotel.

Unilever House was completed in 1958 and was 16 storeys tall. It was located far northern end of East Circular Quay (Location of 1 Bennelong), predating the Sydney Opera House by 15 years.

Source: Kent, S. 1986. "Lang Hancock Plans Hotel for Choice Quay Site". Good Weekend Magazine (The Sydney Morning Herald), February 22: 5.

Last week, I mentioned that Unilever House was bought by Molena Holdings for $22.8 million in 1983. In 1986, plans were lodged with Sydney City Council to redvelop the office building into a 223 room hotel. The structure was to remain, with the top two floors demolished and rebuilt to contain hotel suites.

The estimated cost of redevelopment was placed at $75 million. Conditional pproval was given in 1986. 

Source: Childs, P. 1986. "Opera House hotel plans get the nod". The Sun Herald, April 6: 23. 

Next week, I will revisit the Opera Gardens Scheme which was also in the planning mode in 1986.

Other Entries in this series

1. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): The first apartment block proposal (1979)
2. East Circular Quay Redevelopment (Series): Opera Garden Centre Scheme (1984)