NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Strathfield Plaza Scheme (1969)

This is the last entry in the current batch of the Never Built Sydney series.

Strathfield Plaza opened in 1981. The completed retail complex incorporated mixed-use development above it, with a nine-storey office tower and a 13-storey apartment tower rising from a four-level podium containing the shopping centre and parking garages. This made it one of the earlier Sydney retail complexes to combine shopping, office and residential uses within the same development.

Source: Anonymous. 1969. "$13m plan awaits Minister's ruling". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 12: 8. 

In 1969, plans for the centre were more ambitious. An early scheme proposed two 25-storey apartment towers rising above a four-level retail podium. Even the plans for Strathfield Plaza were ambitious, with space to be allocated for a department store. 

Had the 1969 scheme been realised, apart from the high-rise towers themselves (and they would still have stood out at 29 levels), Strathfield Plaza might have emerged as a serious competitor to Westfield Burwood, particularly if a major department store had occupied the space. At the time, Farmers was the anchor tenant at Westfield, so its competitors - Grace Bros, David Jones and Waltons could have made a presence in the centre had the 1969 scheme been approved, and Inner West retailing would not be what it is today. 

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Reschs Brewery Redevelopment Scheme (1983)

The former site of the Reschs Brewery at East Redfern is home to the Moore Park Gardens estate, a residential development comprising 575 apartments in 11 buildings. the brewery was closed in 1983 and the residential development was completed in 1996. 

Source: Johnston, M. 1983.  "Homes for 600 at old Resch's brewery". The Daily Telegraph, August 20: 7. 

Below is the original 1983 proposal to redevelop the former brewery. This coincided with Tooths being taken over by Carlton & United Breweries (CUB). Production of Reschs then shifted to the CUB Brewery at Broadway (now home to Central Park, Sydney). CUB no longer brews beer in New South Wales, either brewed in Melbourne or at Yatala in Queensland. 

Six office buildings (up to 18 storeys tall) were proposed as part of the redevelopment along with town houses and apartments to house around 600 people. Nine of the former brewery buildings would be incorporated into the redevelopment, and a public park would also be provided.

Source: Coultan, M. 1983. "$250m plan for brewery site". The Sydney Morning Herald, August 20: 4.

The development was planned in a way that the office buildings would create a buffer zone that separated the residential component from the nearby industrial area. 

Source: Anonymous. 1983. "Draughting a new village". The Daily Telegraph, August 27:  page unknown.

It was anticipated that construction would be completed in stages over seven years, meaning full completion by 1990. By 1990, the site was empty and still undeveloped. 

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: AML & F Redevelopment Proposal (1989)

Full Citation Below

In 2023, I posted an entry on the fire that destroyed the Australian Mercantile Land & Finance Co. Building at Ultimo in 1992. 

At the time of the fire, the site was facing redevelopment. In 1989, Essington Developments Lrd. (owned by Kerry Packer) proposed a plan to convert the building into a hotel and apartment building. There would be 150 apartments along with a four star hotel. A small office building along with retail would also be provided. The redevelopment was projected to cost $200 million.

Source: Dixon, A. 1989. "New life for a grand old building" . The Sydney Morning Herald, March 29: 2. 

The restoration of the former woolstore would have been similar to the Goldsborough Mort Woolstore located further up Harris Street. However had this had gone ahead and there was no fire to the woolstore itself, it have meant that those in Ultimo would not have the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre which occupies part of the present site. The Harry Seidler-designed building is a local landmark in itself.

Related Entry

1992: Ultimo's Australian Mercantile Land and Finance Co. Building destroyed by fire

Property Advert of the Week: Southpoint Apartments, Hillsdale (2003)

Below is a 2003 newspaper advertisement for the Southpoint Apartments at Hillsdale. The apartment tower rising above the Southpoint Shopping Centre contains 110 apartments spread over 12 levels. This development is an early example of residential development being built above a shopping centre. Other examples include Eastgate (Bondi Junction), Rockdale Plaza and Top Ryde City.

   

Source: Cramer Property Agents & Richardson & Wrench Project Marketing. 2003. "SouthPoint Apartments" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph, April 20: 9 (Homeowner Liftout).

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: La Galleria Kings Cross (1987)

Above: A Cross section of La Galleria as viewed from the north (Kings Cross Road elevation). Full Citation below.

In 1987, the site of what is presently the Elan and Altair Apartments at Kings Cross was owned by developer Sir Sid Londish, who had purchased the one-hectare site located above the Kings Cross tunnel for $11 million the previous year. 

Source: Robertson, R. 1987. "Londish building cut by six levels". The Eastern Herald (The Sydney Morning Herald Supplement), December 10: 32.

A 32-storey hotel tower was to rise above a massive podium containing retail and commercial space. The estimated cost was estimated to be just under $300 million, according to a 1990 newspaper report in The Australian. 

The plans mentioned in the article are modified plans that were unveiled several months earlier and were criticised for being "too bulky" in its podium levels. The modified plans were welcomed by local residents. 

Plans were changed in 1989 when a 48-storey apartment tower was proposed for the site citing the increased appeal of inner city apartments.  

In 1990 the site was sold to Rushcutter Properties Limited (a subsidiary of General Accident Plc, UK), and the purchaser could pursue either scheme. Ultimately, the focus shifted to residential, leading to the demise of this proposal and, ultimately the Elan Tower (1997) and Altair (2000).  

Sourced from: Pottinger, P. 1990. "Kings Cross tunnel site is on the market - at $55m". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 10: 29.

NEVER BUILT: Northbourne Central (1987)

Full Citation below.

In 1987, a development application was lodged with Sydney City Council for the Northbourne Central Development. It comprised of a 60 level office block on the site of the Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel. This would have included 26 levels of hotel space with up to 400 rooms and a separate 10 storey office tower.

Source: Pelly, M. 1987. "Quay hotel plan to earn $3m per year".  The Daily Telegraph, March 12: 5.

The development was slated to have cost $1 billion to build or $2 billion in todays money to build. 

In July, the development application was rejected by Sydney City Council. Concerns were raised over the height of tower, shadowing of Macquarie Place, excess parking, traffic and wind.

Source: Anon. 1987. "Council report rejects $1bn Quay project". The Daily Telegraph, July 28: 16. 

The plan was an upsized version of the proposed Ramada Hotel Tower which was lodged in 1984.

Source: Glascott, J. 1984. "Diamonds on the skyline". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 22: 2. 

Ultimately the Ramada Hotel Tower (the original proposal) proceeded and was completed in 1988.

SYDNEY SKYSCRAPERS: The conception of Aurora Place (1996)

My favourite skyscraper in Sydney is Aurora Place. The tower in Phillip Street rises 41 storeys to a height of 219 metres (spire). I regard it as the skyscraper that most reflects Sydney - its architect Renzo Piano wanted the tower to "talk" to the Sydney Opera House.

The Sydney Morning Herald in 1996 published a feature behind his idea.

Source: Susskind, A. 1996. "A talking tower is Renzo's gift to Sydney". The Sydney Morning Herald, November 9: 1 & 3. 

Ever noticed how the fin atop the tower reflects the Opera House sails?

Photo taken by the Author (2011)

Two decades later, Renzo Piano is again making his mark in Sydney as three major highrise apartment towers at Barangaroo South rise. The penthouse atop One Sydney Harbour has sold for $140 million, making it the most expensive property in Australia.Enable GingerCannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection
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Piano has stuck to a more functional design for his Barangaroo towers as the emphasis architecturally must be on the Crown Resort located right next to his towers. 

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.

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Drummoyne's Towering Giants (1970)

Drummoyne doesn't have anything exceptionally tall at all but in 1970, there was a proposal to build major highrise apartment towers at Birkenhead Point. This would have resulted in the demolition of the Dunlop Tyre Factory buildings that would later become the Birkenhead Point Shopping Centre.

The tallest tower was to rise 42 levels (left of picture) or about 8 levels shorter than Australia Square in the Sydney CBD.

Princess Properties International was to develop the site. Apart from providing apartments for 3000 people, there would also be office, motel and retail space included. In addition, a ferry terminal and marina would be built on Iron Cove.

  

Source: Anonymous. 1970. $50 million complex near harbor". The Daily Telegraph, July 25: 1 & 8.

It may have never got off the ground, but we did manage to keep the original Dunlop Factory Buildings and that would form the Birkenhead Point Shopping Centre, one of Sydney's major outlet shopping centres.

Photos taken by the Author.