NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Anthony Horderns Brickfield Hill Redevelopment (1964)

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. 

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: The original World Square Scheme (1973)

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: Kenzo Tange's Original Scheme (1983)

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: Kenzo Tange turns World Square into a Lotus Flower (1985)

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: The abandoned site (1991)

SYDNEY DEPARTMENT STORES: The end of Anthony Horderns' (1969)

The demise of Sydney department store chain Anthony Horderns' extends for a longer period of time than what this entry will focus on.

This entry will focus on the sale of Anthony Horderns' in 1969 which marked the end of its existence as a department store chain.

In November 1969, the Brickfield Hill store which had traded for a century closed. This generally went unreported by the newspapers. I could not even find any "closing down" advertisements.

The following month saw its compeitors rival for control:

• Buckinghams Holdings Limited (Buckinghams) - $6 million offer
• Waltons Limited - $9.3 million offer

Developer Stocks & Holdings also joined in the frenzy, offering $8.6 million for the company.

   

Source: Riggs, C. 1969. "$8.6m city store bid is accepted". The Daily Mirror, December 3: 2. 

This proposal had been accepted by the company. 

As the fight for control ensued, the company sold its Brickfield Hill site for $8.5 million to the State Superannuation Board.

 

Source: Anon. 1969. "Hordern's Site Owner Named". The Daily Telegraph, December 24: 1. 

On 5 January 1970, Waltons gained majority ownership, when it accquired 36% of the company from its rival bidders - Buckinghams and Tjuringa Securities. 

 

Source: Anon. 1970. "Waltons claims victory". The Daily Mirror, January 5: 26.

Shares in the company (Anthony Hordern & Sons Limited) were delisted from the Sydney Stock Exchange on 8 April 1970, completing the take over process

Source: Anon. 1970. "The last day for Anthony Hordern". The Sun, April 8: 68.

Hordern's Mid City Store closed in 1973. 

1985: The end of the Anthony Horderns Building

In 1985, NSW Environment Minister (and future Premier) Bob Carr announced that the Anthony Horderns Building would be demolished, but the Mark Foys building would be protected.

The argument was that the building had become "derelict", was built with "sub standard materials" and "poor workmanship". Given its uses over the years (even as a carpark in its later years), the reasoning behind its demolition has to be questioned.

It also allowed for Ipoh to proceed with their proposal to redevelop the site and the block bounded by George, Liverpool, Pitt and Goulburn Street into World Square. 

Demolition of the Anthony Horderns building occurred the following year.

Source: Glascott, J. 1985. "Hordern emporium for demolition". The Sydney Morning Herald, February 25: 5. 

Evolution of World Square Postscript: New finding

A fortnight ago, I mentioned that our series on World Square had concluded, but there is a postscript. From time to time, there is always something new that can be found once the research is presented. Just recently, I came across a 1965 proposal to build a 38 level tower right atop the Anthony Horderns Building.

How did I come across it? The Sydney Morning Herald has given its archives for 1955-95 a huge makeover and provides more thorough search results on anything that one wants to find.  Simply playing around with the upgraded features gave me access to articles that I would not have found under the old website.

I had thought that the first World Square scheme was from 1973, but getting to where it is now was a process that spanned forty years, not the thirty or twenty years that I may have once thought.

The idea for a tower built above Anthony Horderns was a simple idea and was seen as a way of trying to renew the southern end of the city, which newspapers were highlighting that year. It went as far as reporting that it was unsafe to venture in the streets around there. The plan included three floors of underground parking, five floors of retail, 31 levels of office space and three floors of apartments at the top of the building.

It could have been the best of both worlds, but I think the 38 storey tower would appear dated against other city buildings, not to mention the fact it might have warranted a heritage listing today as one of the first major highrises down that end of the city.

They were optimistic that it would be ready by 1968.

Source: Johnson, B. 1965. "A green light for up-town Sydney". The Sun Herald, September 26: 45.

2007: 52 Goulburn Street is completed (Evolution of World Square)

Our long trip through the Evolution of World Square now hits the end as we now look at the final tower to be built, which is now 52 Goulburn Street.

Under the Kenzo Tange Scheme of 1985, the building on the site was to play host to the third tallest building on the block. However, the floor to space ratios that were allowable for World Square (excluding Hordern Towers) meant that only two of the three towers could be built if they stuck to maximum heights. Otherwise building heights for the remaining two buildings would have to be reduced.

Then Meriton got the North West corner of the site and that again would impede any future development. Multiplex wanted their big office building at 680 George street and that meant nothing more than 12 levels could be built at the corner of Goulburn and Pitt Street.

Around 2003, there was a plan though for an apartment tower on that corner. With planning rules more relaxed for unit buildings, you could still get the space to build a tall tower, but still would fall short of Hordern Towers. It was around 30 floors. Below was a possible scheme that dated back to 2004.

A 2004 Scheme for an apartment tower of roughly 30 levels. The photo was taken by the Author.

Multiplex stuck to a 12 level office building which would become the home of the Australian Tax Office (ATO). Its height was just 53 metres, only 20 % of the height of its tallest neighbour - World Tower.

52 Goulburn Street under construction. Photo taken by the Author). 

Work began just one year after Latitude was completed in 2006 and finished just a year later.

52 Goulburn Street (2010). Photo was taken by the Author.

And there we have it, we have answered the question as to how World Square came to be what it is today. It is a centre of activity for the southern end of Sydney's CBD, a place where people can live, work, shop and gather in the one place. Did it fulfill its objective - I'd say yes it has, though it has to be scaled down from the original ambitions. The challenge though with Ernst & Young departing the area for 200 George Street, it leaves a huge hole in terms of attracting a major commercial tenant to base their Sydney operations there. The question that I am left to ask - What is it that holds companies from going there? Is it the ambition to get prized harbour views? Is it transport access (compared to the harbour end of the CBD, public transport is better). Is it proximity to city landmarks?

Turn your heads south and look towards Broadway where the educational institutions are based. Wouldn't having access to those institutions and their facilities help a business that wants to prosper in the connected world that we live in? The future workforce is there as well. It smack bang between Town Hall and Central Railway Stations, which provides easy access to rail that the financial heart of the city cannot offer and light rail running at the door from 2019.

2005: The World Square Retail Complex is completed (Evolution of World Square)

Apart from the completion of Latitude (680 George Street) in 2005 (as covered last week), 2005 also saw the completion of the long promised retail complex, The complex contains 90 retailers, anchored by Coles. Jb Hifi would join several years later as a major retailer. In the middle of the complex is a town square. Another notable feature is a laneway that runs from the town square to Liverpool Street, home to a speciality food court. While it may have not been as grand as what earlier plans had suggested, it does provide city residents and workers with the "essentials" that may not be found in other parts of the CBD. For instance, Coles had decided to open its first full line CBD supermarket there, and has actually encouraged the opening of more full line supermarkets in central Sydney.

Here are some photos I took from when it opened back in June 2005.

Due to the Federal Election next week, my posting will be election-themed but it does tie into something significant in terms of the city's development as well. The following week, our final entry in the series will be published and will focus on what is now the ATO Building at the corner of Goulburn and Pitt Street.

2005: Latitude Tower is completed (Evolution of World Square)

Less than two years after work started on the construction of World Square, we finally saw work at 680 George Street. I actually remember with excitement as Year 11 student to see moving cranes and construction.

By the time work had resumed, it was the 20th hole in the ground from the 1990-91 Property Crash to be filled. The first sod was turned on November 13, 2002, by Lord Mayor Frank Sartor. From what I am aware, plans to build the tower in its current form had been around for 18 months.

I am going to let the photos do the talking this week with a selection of photos over its two years of construction.

November 2002

January 2003

May 2003






























July 2003

October 2003

November 2003

January 2004








































March 2004







































May 2004







































August 2004







2005 (Upon Completion)






































When completed, the main tenant would be Ernst & Young who would remain there until the recent completion of 200 George Street.

Next week, we continue our series focusing on the completion of the retail complex.

2000: Meriton unveils World Tower (Evolution of World Square)

World Tower
The photo was taken by the Author.

Last week, we looked at Hordern Towers and this week we move onto the next phase in the development of World Square.

2000 was a big year for Sydney, but also for Meriton Apartments when they announced plans to build what is currently Sydney's tallest skyscraper - World Tower. Only a year earlier, they had snapped up the "prized" quarter of the site at the corner of George and Liverpool Street's where they could build to the maximum height limit of 235 metres. The tallest tower under the Kenzo Tange scheme would have been located there if they built it.

Source: Skelsey, M. 2000. "Sydney's new town in the sky". The Daily Telegraph, March 8: page unknown.

Late in 1999, architects were invited to design the tower. Three were shortlisted which were:

1. Nation Fender Katsailidis
2. Harry Seidler & Associates
3. Peddle Thorp Walker

In March 200, the design of Nation Fender Katsailidis was announced as the winner.

Construction commenced towards the end of 2000, following the Olympic games. Occupation of the lower floors of the tower began in late 2003 while the upper levels were being built. Below is a selection of photos from its construction which I started taking in mid-2002.

July 2002

November 2002

December 2002

January 2003

May 2003

June 2003

October 2003

November 2003

January 2004

April 2004

The tower rises 74 levels or 230 metres above street level; however, floors are marked from the lowest basement level, not the ground floor. You might think for instance that your apartment is on level 76, but really you are 66 levels above ground.

World Tower is predominantly residential, though some units are managed as serviced units. At completion, levels 61 and above were entirely serviced apartments and were only placed on the market several years ago. Levels 83 and 84 contain a penthouse, which is owned by who is now Australia's richest person - Meriton's Harry Triguboff.

Next week, we will look at 680 George Street where we find out its fate.

EVOLUTION OF WORLD SQUARE: Hordern Towers is completed (1999)

Continuing on in our series on the evolution of World Square, we will look at the completion of the first major building at the World Square site - Hordern Towers which would be completed in 1998.

Last week, I covered the years that the site was vacant and merely a hole in the ground. The challenge was to restart work in some capacity. In 1994, a Malaysian consortium landed the northeastern section of the site at the corner of Pitt and Liverpool Streets. Under the 1985 scheme, the tower slated for that site was to be for a hotel.

That was set to become a reality:

Source: House, K. 1994. "$50m-$100m hotel, unit plan stirs World Square". The Sydney Morning Herald: October 20: page unknown.

By 1997, work was well and truly underway impressing then-Lord Mayor Frank Sartor.

 

Sources:

1. Totaro, P. 1997. "Up up and away as building work takes off in city's largest crater". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 27: page unknown.

2. Hughes, H. 1997. "World Square on road to recovery". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 27: 32. 

 In 1999, Hordern Towers was now ready for business.

Source: Tsvdaridis, D. "Small corner of World Square open for business". The Daily Telegraph, September 10: 21.

Hordern Towers was designed by Davenport Campbell & Partners rising to a height of 156 metres. There are 48 floors with  278 apartments spread over 31 levels. A hotel (Rydges World Square) occupies the remaining levels. The retail component would be integrated into the World Square shopping complex as the remaining stages were built.

I've included at the bottom several photos that I have taken over the years of the tower.