Property Advert of the Week: Kenthurst, Mosman (1966)

In October 1966, just $10 000 (5000 pounds) would land you an apartment in Ourimbah Road, Mosman. It's located near McPherson Street and would be in walking distance of shops at Cremorne Junction and Mosman.

I have included a Google Streetview Reference.

The agent was allowed to advertise in pounds and pence despite the conversion to decimal currency months earlier.



Source: Anon. 1966. "Kenthurst" (Advertisement). The Sun, October 14: 48.

Property Advert of the Week: Oscar on Hollywood, Bondi Junction (1995)

This week, we head to Bondi Junction where Meriton were selling apartments in the Oscar on Hollywood complex.

Source: Meriton Premier Apartments. 1995. "Oscar on Hollywood" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 24: 84. 

SYDNEY SKYSCRAPERS: Rare Aerial Photo of the State Office Building (1965)

After finding a feature on the Water Board Building upon its completion in 1965 from The Sydney Morning Herald, the same edition featured a rare aerial photo of the nearly completed State Office Building in Phillip Street. It featured on Page 1.

It had become the tallest building in Australia at 35 levels or 128 metres tall. It would be surpassed by Australia Square within less than 18 months.

Source: Anon. 1965. "Untitled" (photograph). The Sydney Morning Herald, December 21: 1. 

The building was demolished in 1997 for the Aurora Place complex. It is the tallest building in Australia to be demolished to date and 18th tallest against other world buildings.

Property Advert of the Week: Terraced Gardens Estate, Kirrawee (1966)

This week, we head to Southern Sydney, where $3000 (£ 1500 ) bought you a block of land at Kirrawee in 1966. Note the advertising in pounds, despite the introduction of decimal currency earlier in the year. This was allowed until 1968. 

Source: Parkes Developments Pty. Ltd. 1966. "Terraced Gardens Estate" (Advertisement). The Sun, October 21: 58. 

1965: Sydney's new Water Board Building

In 1962, it was announced that the Water Board (Sydney Water) would construct a new building next to its existing 1938 building at the corner of Bathurst and Pitt Street.

It would be the first major tall building built towards the southern end of the city, rising 23 levels above the street level to a height of 330 feet. A major feature was the sun control panels to control sunlight streaming into the building.

By the end of 1965, it had become reality. Below is a feature article as published by The Sydney Morning Herald on December 21 (Click image to see a larger version).

Source: Edwards, N. 1965. "First giant office block at the southern end of city since war". The Sydney Morning Herald, December 21: 18.

In 2008, the Water Board (now Sydney Water) moved to a new complex at Parramatta, and the building was sold to Brookfield Multiplex for $150 million. It was intended that a new, modern office tower be built on the site. This did not proceed.

Chinese developer Greenland Properties bought the site from Brookfield Multiplex for $100 million in 2013. It has proceeded with plans to gut and partially demolish the tower for a new apartment building that will more than double the height of the building. Work is underway.

Above: Greenland Sydney

Source: Untitled [Still Image]. In Build Sydney. January 17, 2017. Accessed June 30, 2017. https://www.buildsydney.com/greenland-centre-sydney-cbd-237m/

When completed, the tower will rise 68 levels or 237 metres above street level. At this stage it will be the tallest skyscraper in Sydney until the completion of the 272 metre Crown Resort at Barangaroo in 2021. It is also anticipated that it will also lose the mantle of tallest apartment in Sydney with a number of residential towers proposed for Central Sydney that will rise up to 260 metres in height.

Above: The Sydney Water Building is gutted as part of its conversion into an apartment tower. The photo was taken by the Author (2017). 

Property Advert of the Week : Weekly Meriton SMH Advertisement from June 13 1998

I love these classic weekly advertisements from the late 1990's by Meriton Apartments in The Sydney Morning Herald. They kept the rivers of gold flowing at Broadway each weekend and maximised the broadsheet layout to its advantage. All of their developments featured on the one page. Take a look and see what projects were featured.

Source: Meriton Premier Apartments. 1998. "Invest in a way of life" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 13: 25RE (Real Estate Lift out). 

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Sydney City Council Proposal to turn the Queen Victoria Building into a public square (1959)

Some might remember in the early 1970s when architect Harry Seidler called for the demolition of the Queen Victoria Building in George Street and that a multi-storey carpark replace the building.

Demolishing the QVB was an idea for more than a decade. In the late 1950's Sydney City Council wanted the building demolished for a public square with an underground carpark modeled on public squares in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

One proposal called for York Street to be tunneled.

Source: Anon. 1959. "Lord Mayors Idea For A New Square". The Sun Herald, May 10: 12. 

They felt that the building was just half the value of the site itself and not earning revenue for the council, who were the landholders.  They felt the public square and carpark would earn more revenue.

The question will be asked - What if it became reality?

• The proposed square for the eastern side of George Street would never be in the works.
• Stricter building codes for York, Market and George Streets. Some of the tall buildings we see today might not have been allowed, especially those in more recent years. The impact would go even to King Street and beyond.
• The focal point for events around Town Hall would have shifted to its north instead of the east. The public rallies and civil gatherings along George Street would not happen in the way we see today.

We should be grateful that one of finest buildings in Sydney from the Victorian era is still with us today. The decision to convert the building into a shopping centre has paid off massive dividends for Sydney. It is a much-loved destination for shopping in central Sydney and the most famous retail complex of all. It is a meeting place for people too. One can dine at a cafe and restaurant and watch the world go by. 

Related Entries

Added October 2022

• 1961: Harry Seidler calls for demolition of the QVB
• NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Sydney Square Scheme (1968)

Property Advert of the Week: Parkview Towers, Pyrmont (1995)

This week, I share another advertisement courtesy of Meriton Apartments. It is for Parkview Towers at Pyrmont dated from 1995.

 

Source: Meriton Premier Apartments. 1995. "Parkview Towers". The Sydney Morning Herald, June 24: 85.

1970: The birth of Martin Place as a Pedestrian Mall

Martin Place. The photo was taken by the Author (2014).

Martin Place is Sydney's most loved pedestrian mall which expands the entire stretch of the street. Achieving this feat was not an overnight process, but took time.

Source: Anon. 1970. "The Big Takeover of Martin Place". The Sydney Morning Herald, September 1: 1. 

On September 1 1970, Martin Place between George Street and Pitt Street was closed to vehicular traffic for a four-month trial to determine whether or not it should become a Pedestrian Mall - Martin Plaza. It was officially opened by Lord Mayor - Alderman Emmet McDermott

Source:  Dunn, M. 1970. "Let the Sun Shine In, Said the Lord Mayor...but raindrops kept falling." The Sydney Morning Herald, September 1: 9.

The trial led to calls for it to become reality as the editorial from The Daily Telegraph from October 29, 1970 (below) shows. Even the State Government was coming on side.

Fast forward to September 1, 1971 and Martin Place Plaza becomes a reality with the first stretch of Martin Plaza from George Street to Pitt Street closed off to traffic permanently. The offical opening of the plaza occured on September 10, 1971.

Source: Anon. 1971. "Celebration Time: Opening day for plaza". The Daily Telegraph, September 11: 3.

In 1972, Sydney City Council announced that it would convert over three years, the remainder of Martin Place into a Pedestrian Mall. In Stage 2 between Pitt Street and Castlereagh Street, there would be a sunken recreation area along with a cafe precinct. Construction began in late 1973. This was opened to the public on July 22, 1976.

The remainder of the conversion was timed to coincide with the completion of construction of Martin Place Railway Station, built as part of the Eastern Suburbs Railway Line. Those areas were opened to the public on May 7, 1979.

Property Advert of the Week: The Domain Apartments (1995)

During the mid 1990's, the former office block on St John Young Cresent was one of a number of ageing city office blocks that was converted into apartment use.

From my understanding, the office building was built back in the 1970's as part of plans to turn Woolloomooloo into an extension of the Sydney CBD, and was built before the rezoning was axed. Two decades later, Wooloomooloo had actually turned from what had been seen as a "working class slum" into a desirable address.

With the fact that highrise was not allowed in the area opened up a great opportunity for a residential developer to earn a good return by selling premium apartments. The never to be built out views were enough. Also the decision of the ANZ Bank to move out of the building also pressed the case for residential conversion.

Source: City Unit Sales. 1995. "The Domain Apartments" (advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 24: 85.