NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Hoyts Centre Tower (1971)

Plans were unveiled in 1969 (Click here for last week's entry) to redevelop the site of the Trocadero into a cinema complex with a hotel tower rising 44 stories.

 

Source: Anon. "$30 million hotel with 5 theatres". The Daily Telegraph, November 4: page unknown.

In 1971, detailed plans were released for the Hoyts Cinema Centre including what became the Hoyts Cinema Centre and hotel tower that would rise above the complex. 

The tower was designed by architect Sir Roy Grounds, famous for his design of Wrest Point Casino in Hobart. Hoyts Theatres were to build the 450-foot (137 metre) tower in partnership with AMP and hotel chain Sheraton International.

Unfortunately, the hotel didn't eventuate but the Cinema Complex was completed in 1976. 

In 1999, Hoyts and Greater Union merged into one cinema complex which eventually became controlled by Greater Union (now Event Cinemas).

More recently, plans were approved by Sydney City Council in 2020 for an eighty-storey apartment tower to rise above the original Hoyts Cinema Complex to be developed by Mirvac and Coombes Property. However, it is "on hold".  

 

Sourced from: Cummins, C. 2018. "George Street grows upwards with $1 billion skyscraper". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 19: 8. 

Event Cinemas are also seeking to redevelop the section of the current cinemas that lies on the original site of Greater Union with a 43-storey hotel and residential tower to rise 160 metres above street level. An amended development application has been recommended for approval by the Sydney Central Planning Committee when they meet on Thursday (11 May). 

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NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Hoyts Cinema Centre Tower (1969)

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Hoyts Cinema Centre Tower (1969)

Sourced from: Anon. 1969. " Up, Up and away is a theme song". The Sydney Morning Herald Australia Unlimited Supplement 1969, July 21: 33. 

Did you know that early plans for the Hoyts Cinema Centre (now incorporated into Event Cinemas) in George Street had plans for a highrise tower rising above it?

Sydney City Council approved plans in 1969 for a 44-level hotel tower to rise on the site of the Trocadero. In the podium, a five-screen cinema complex would be built as part of the development. 

Source: Anon. 1969. "Five-Cinema Skyscraper for Trocadero Site". The Daily Telegraph, June 8: 9.

The Trocadero was closed in 1971. Next week, I will look at a second proposal for the site. 

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Village Cinema Centre Redevelopment (1990)

Meriton Tower in 2013. Photo taken by the Author.

Meriton Tower is a 48 level tower located on the former site of the Village Cinema Centre in George Street. The tower designed by Harry Seidler was completed in 2007 and also the headquarters of the Meriton Group.

Prior to Meriton developing the site, there were at least two proposals to redevelop the site. One was in 1990 for a 41 level office tower rising above a rebuilt cinema complex with 10 screens and retail podium. The site area was larger, also encompassing the site of the Greater Union Cinema Complex. Though Village Cinemas and Greater Union were separate chains, they were apart of The Greater union Organisation, a subsidiary of Amalgamated Holdings (Currently known as Event Hospitality & Entertainment). 

Source: Harbour, D. 1990. "New Look for Cinema Strip". The Sunday Telegraph, February 4: 36.

The development was also proposed at the same time as plans were also proposed to redevelop the Hoyts Cinema and Regent Theatre sites. 

It was anticipated that work would commence that year.

Source: Walkley, P. 1990. "New Sydney movie complex". The Australian Financial Review, February 6: page unknown. 

A second plan was unveiled in 1998 focusing on a 50 level hotel and apartment complex which formed the basis for Meriton's future development of the site. Under this scheme designed by architect,Steve Zappia, the tower would be built by developer George Drivas.

Meriton Tower would focus on an all residential configuration, but the hotel component would include serviced apartments. 

Source: Totaro, P. 1998. "$200m tower plan for cinema strip". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 17: 3. 

Source: Skelsey, M. "Hotel tower to bury village". The Daily Telegraph, April 17: 6. 

Meriton Tower was approved around 2002 (Need confirmation on this) but demolition work commenced towards the end of that year before completion in 2006.