It is with deep sadness that I advise readers of The Grapevine that the Minister for Planning, Justin Madden, has approved the hideous Windsor Hotel redevelopment that I wrote about in October.

After the fiasco surrounding a leaked government memo that revealed a plot to hold a “sham public consultation“, approval from the Minister already seemed like a fait accomplis. Then last Wednesday (16 March 2010), the Heritage Council of Victoria granted approval for the redevelopment plans, subject to various revisions. So it came as no surprise when the Minister made his announcement today.

The following ABC News Victoria clip outlines the whole saga beautifully, including the Minister’s woeful performance at today’s press conference.

I won’t outline my objections to this project again, as they’re already outlined in my previous blog post.

I’ll just reiterate my disappointment at the vandalism that’s about to be wreaked upon the grand Windsor Hotel. I made the effort to write a lengthy submission to the Heritage Council, objecting to this proposal, but it seems it was in vain. Nevertheless, they have removed some of the “rough edges” from the design, which is of some value.

To those in Melbourne, I say enjoy this view, one last time… because it won’t be there for much longer.

A key portion of Bacchus Marsh‘s famous ‘Avenue of Honour’ is under direct threat if VicRoads proceeds with a plan to add a round-a-bout at the intersection of Woolpack and Bacchus Marsh Roads.

The historic boulevard, which commemorates the town’s war dead, was planted in 1918 and consists of 312 trees and 3.3 kilometres of road. Between 10 and 12 trees will be removed under the proposal.

The trees are Dutch elms (Ulmus ×hollandica), grafted onto either U. procera or U. glabra. Not all of those 312 trees commemorate war dead, but there is a dedicated section which consists of the 1918 plantings. There are some older trees at the town end from a series of plantings in 1880, and a younger section of trees planted in the 1960′s for a road realignment.

The Bacchus Marsh ‘Avenue of Honour’ is one of the oldest and most magnificent in Australia, being the catalyst for similar avenues that emerged in many towns and cities after World War 1.

What’s proposed?

The State Government of Victoria, through VicRoads, has been granted stimulus funding from the Commonwealth Government to re-align the Western Highway around Arthur’s Cutting, which is a particularly steep and dangerous section of road.

According to The Age, the works will also include extending Woolpack Road north to the Western Highway, which will enable motorists to bypass half of the Avenue of Honour from the eastern (or Melbourne) end. The works will include the creation of a four-lane road, and a round-a-bout in the middle of the Avenue, which will see the removal of at least 12 trees and the addition of lighting. The round-a-bout will be of sufficient size to enable B-Double trucks to enter.

The National Trust is particularly concerned about the plans, as is the Shire council. The Trust says that the Avenue is of national significance because of its over-arching canopy, intactness, the curvature in the road and the historical and cultural significance of the plantings. Owing to Dutch Elm Disease, which has decimated European elm plantings, Australia remains as a disease-free refuge, and therefore hosts some of the finest remaining plantings in the world. (You can read the Trust’s full statement here).

The Victorian Heritage Council does not list the Avenue of Honour on the Victorian Heritage Register, but it is listed by the National Trust and the Shire of Moorabool is keen to have it listed on the Register of the National Estate. In 2004, the Shire of Moorabool drafted an extensive Strategic Management Plan for the Avenue, which provides a wealth of information. The full report can be downloaded here.

Unfortunately, there seems to have been considerable secrecy surrounding this project, perhaps because the State Government is aware of the outcry that could materialise? The Avenue of Honour is much-cherished by the people of Bacchus Marsh, and Victoria. The National Trust have complained that neither themselves nor the Returned and Services League (RSL) were consulted about the proposal until November 2009, whereby it was presented as a fait accomplis.

Work is to commence this month, but still there are no maps and illustrations available on the project website. (As an aside, it seems ironic that there are no plans available for this project as part of the Victorian Transport Plan. Is secrecy part of the plan, too?)

The Minister for Planning has the power to ‘call in’ the project, but instead Mr. Madden has exempted it from various planning and environmental checks (source). Part of his justification for exemption is that the project is urgent, and acknowledges that “third parties will not have formal submissions to the planning authority”.

Saving the Avenue of Honour

The experience of driving the length of the Avenue of Honour is unparalleled. On both sides of the road are market gardens and orchards, which can be seen between the tree trunks. Above, the sky is concealed by a deep canopy of leaves. In Autumn, the Avenue is especially magic as the golden colour of the leaves develops. I have taken several international visitors to the Avenue of Honour, and all have been impressed.

In my view, the desecration of a war memorial is a disgrace. But worse still, the prevention of public participation in the planning process is outrageous in a democracy.

I believe that the Western Highway realignment should progress. That section of highway is dangerous and difficult to navigate. However, the widening and extension of Woolpack Road should be put on hold immediatelty until such time as an opportunity for full public consultation is provided, a heritage assessment performed, and an alternative road plan generated.

It has taken 92 years for the Avenue of Honour to become what it is. I certainly hope this plan is abandoned, because any damage that’s done now will take another 92 years to repair. And if that’s the case, most of us won’t be here to appreciate it.

Melbourne’s preeminent hotel, and the only remaining grand 19th century hotel in the city, is at risk of irreparable damage if a proposal to redevelop the site is approved.

The owners of the Windsor Hotel, which was built in 1887, want to add a 25-storey extension to the rear of the building and demolish two existing wings. They argue that the hotel is not commercially viable as it currently stands.

^{The Windsor Hotel}

The proposal was designed by local architects Denton Corker Marshall. A massive glass curtain, which the architects describe as a “slim and elegant” backdrop for the heritage-listed hotel, provides the main focus for the design. The proposal also includes a series of alterations to the existing  configuration of rooms.

^{The proposed tower to be constructed behind the Windsor Hotel. (Image: National Trust)}

Naturally, the National Trust are unimpressed with the plans. The Trust argues that the 25-storey tower will destroy the heritage character of the area and breach building height controls that exist along Spring Street. Current buildings are limited to 25 metres, yet this proposal is for a 92-metre tower.

In addition to the tower, the north and rear wings will be demolished and the lobby will be enlarged via the removal of the Cricketers’ Bar. The rest of the heritage part of the building will be restored, including full reinstatement of the external façade, towers, and slate roof. In total, the plan will cost the hotel owners $260 million, and the project is expected to take 36 months to complete.

^{The lobby of the Windsor Hotel}

The Windsor Hotel is of major cultural significance to the State of Victoria. The hotel started off as a temperance-inspired coffee palace before it became a hotel in the 1920′s. Over the past 130 years, the Windsor has hosted royalty, celebrities, politicians and foreign dignitaries. For generations, Melburnians have enjoyed scrumptious afternoon teas at the Windsor, in the firm knowledge that no better can be experienced anywhere else. It has also been the first choice for many newly-weds.

Where Melbourne once had two other ‘grand’ 19th-century hotels, the Windsor is the only one remaining after the Menzies Hotel and the Federal Coffee Palace were demolished several decades ago. It is therefore of significant heritage value, especially since so much of the building is intact.

^{The grand staircase at the Windsor Hotel}

Plans to demolish portions of the Windsor Hotel have been lodged with the Victorian Heritage Commission (see here). And whilst I might have had some difficulty accepting all the arguments for saving Lonsdale House (another heritage building currently at risk), I firmly believe that the Windsor warrants a strong community response to defend it from changes that I believe will irrevocably damage her character and integrity.

My concerns are as follows:

1. Since “all of the building” is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (File No. H0764), demolition of any portion of the building should be prohibited, to not only protect the building but the integrity of the Register itself.

2. The “curtain wall” is stylistically and aesthetically in contrast with the remainder of the building, and as such will distract from the Windsor’s appearance by reducing its sense of scale and grandeur.

3. Proposals to incorporate major alterations to the interior, including the removal of the Cricketers’ Bar, and reconfiguration of the other elements, will fundamentally destroy the interior as an authentic 19th century hotel.

4. The 25-metre height limit should be maintained. Such planning restrictions have preserved the low-scale integrity of the Parliamentary precinct, and therefore the area remains as a reasonably representative 19th century streetscape.

5. Whilst I appreciate that the architects have attempted to design a structure that is as unobtrusive as possible, I am not convinced that the tower will be appreciated in 30 years, let alone 130 years. I am concerned that the Windsor will be left with a Southern Cross Hotel on it’s back.

^{The proposed extension to the Windsor Hotel. (Image: The Age)}

There’s no doubt that the Windsor Hotel must remain profitable to survive. The admirable commitment of the hotel owners to plough so much money into this project shows that they believe the Windsor has a future and that they wish to see it flourish. This investment is most commendable given the decline in the Australian economy over the past 18 months.

That said, purposefully submitting plans that far exceed allowable hight limits is questionable.  I also believe that demolishing a significant portion of the hotel to ‘save’ the remainder is inconsistent with a treatment that ought be afforded to a building of such significance.

I believe that a hotel extension should be horizontal, instead of vertical. This could be achieved through the acquisition of surrounding properties. I also believe that any proposal should feature a full restoration of the 19th century portion of the building, rather than demolition and/or reconfiguration.

More information?

The National Trust’s Save The Windsor website encourages people to lodge objections to the various authorities, whilst the hotel owner’s Future of the Windsor website provides some details of the plans.

The official submissions to the Heritage Council can be viewed here. Objections must be lodged by 5pm on Thursday 15 October, 2009.

Update: With some modifications, this project was approved by the Minister for Planning on 18 March 2010. More information in my latest article at http://blog.adonline.id.au/windsor-hotel-redevelopment/

Last week, the State Minister for Planning Justin Madden, announced that planning approval had been given to the company redeveloping Myer’s city store, for the demolition of Lonsdale House on the corner of Lonsdale Street and Caledonian Lane.

The art deco building, which was was constructed in 1934 from two pre-existing Victorian-era warehouses, is notable for its streamlined moderne style and distinctive tower. Whilst it is in reasonable condition externally, it is believed to be in a poor state internally as it has been disused for a considerable amount of time. With recent publicity surrounding its possible demolition, graffiti vandals have entered and defaced much of the glass on the front.

Lonsdale House is part of a series of adjoining buildings which form the overall Myer Lonsdale Street store that is currently under redevelopment as reported previously on The Grapevine.

Colonial Global Asset Management is managing the redevelopment, and plan to convert most of the building to a new shopping centre, to be called “The Emporium”. The Age have published pictures of some of the proposed changes, although these are different plans to those submitted a few years ago when the idea of demolishing Lonsdale House was first mooted.

In response to that initial proposal to demolish Lonsdale House, the Art Deco and Modernism Society nominated the building for protection on the Victorian Heritage Register in January 2008. The Heritage Council refused to list the building, although it was initially believed that the building had some nominal protection under the City of Melbourne’s “Post Office Precinct” heritage overlay. In their assessment document, the Heritage Council noted that the building had “architectural and historical significance at the local level” but denied it was of “State significance”. On account of the size of the project, the City of Melbourne lost jurisdiction over the matter and so the decision fell into the hands of the state’s Planning Minister.

Colonial Global Asset Management asked the minister to approve the building’s demolition so they could widen Caledonian Lane to facilitate the access of delivery trucks for their Emporium redevelopment.

The Premier of Victoria, John Brumby, had previously stated his intention to take some planning decisions away from municipal councils and have them fast-tracked, using the current global economic crisis as justification. I won’t delve into the merits of this somewhat flawed argument, but I will state my view that excluding the public from planning decisions is somewhat undemocratic and rather Kennettesque. In any case, the Minister for Planning seemed to be convinced by the developers arguments and approved the demolition.

But what of Lonsdale House itself?

Despite the impassioned protests of some commentators, I don‘t believe that Lonsdale House is the best (or even an especially impressive) example of art deco or moderne architecture in Melbourne, let alone Victoria. Sure, the little tower on the roof is unique, but the rest of the building is quite mundane when compared to its stylistic contemporaries such as Mitchell House or the McPherson’s Building or even the beautiful Yule House. So from an architectural perspective, I broadly agree with the position of the Victorian Heritage Council that the building isn’t of “state significance”.

That said, sometimes one needs to step back (metaphorically and literally) from a problem and look at the bigger picture. And when I do this, I come to the firm conclusion that Lonsdale House should be spared.

Lonsdale House is uninspiring, but it forms part of an unbroken series of late-19th and early-20th century buildings that starts with the former bank building on Swanston Street (now a McDonald’s restaurant) and finishes at the western side of the massive Myer Emporium building near Elizabeth Street. Together, these form a complete streetscape, the likes of which is difficult to find in other parts of the city, where individual modern buildings have broken the unity. This repeating of history would become a reality if Lonsdale House is demolished, because it sits right near the centre of what I consider to be a most worthy streetscape.

Up until now, it would be fair to say that most Melburnians would be unlikely to have even noticed these buildings, which have all been painted beige for years under the stewardship of Myer. However, the pending redevelopment of the Myer store offers an opportunity to have these façades restored and the streetscape significantly enhanced.

It saddens me that the Minister feels that the excuse of job creation in an economic downturn is sufficient justification to sideline the heritage values of our city. His decision is even more surprising when his own parliamentary profile states that he has a personal interest in “20th century architecture” and is a member of the aforementioned Art Deco and Modernism Society!

It also saddens me that there is a proposal to replace Lonsdale House with a building which is as stylistically divorced from its surrounds as could be imagined. Finally, I feel that the apparent “need” to widen the laneway as justification for destroying Lonsdale House is a very flimsy excuse indeed from and overall planning perspective. I am sure there is sufficient access in Little Bourke Streets for such purposes. After all, that was the justification in building the “Little Streets” in the first place, wasn’t it?

If Lonsdale House is pulled down, I will miss its presence and the very streetscape it is an integral part of.

Let’s hope for a last minute reprieve.

Today I attended the second annual Melbourne Open House, and had a great time exploring some of Melbourne’s finest buildings.

Regular readers of The Grapevine will recall that I attended the inaugural event last year and nearly got myself locked upstairs at the Capitol Theatre.

The Melbourne Open House is a part of the State of Design Festival, and aims to showcase Melbourne’s “hidden” architectural gems; the buildings that aren’t normally open to the public. This year, I decided to visit the Manchester Unity building, T&G, Victorian Arts Centre, 101 Collins Street, Hamer Hall, Queen’s Hall (State Library of Victoria), the former National Australia Bank headquarters and the Denmark Club.

In 2008, the queues for the Manchester Unity building were absurd, so I made an effort to arrive very early this year. Although the event didn’t open until 10am, I was there at 9am and it was just as well because a mere 10 minutes after I arrived, the queue was out the door. When I left the building 30 minutes later, the queue had extended 500 metres down Collins Street.

The Manchester Unity building is one of Melbourne’s most iconic. Constructed between 1929 and 1932, it had a brief experience as Melbourne’s tallest building. Designed in the “commercial Gothic” style, Manchester Unity is intact both inside and out and for many years was the administrative headquarters for Manchester Unity IOOF, now known as Australian Unity.

Manchester Unity’s beautiful interior is lavishly decorated with fine wood and marble. Along with approximately 30 other people, I was taken up the lift to the 12th floor to see a view of Melbourne from the rooftop terrace. From the terrace, I was able to look down on the Melbourne Town Hall as well as get a close look at Manchester Unity’s iconic tower.

From there, we were lead down to the famous 11th floor board room, which was lined with wood-panelling and featured decorative art deco motifs. Most impressive was the giant table, carved from a single piece of timber and lifted into the room prior to the building’s completion. On account of it’s size, it cannot be removed.

After visiting the Manchester Unity building, I decided to take a look at 101 Collins Street. A modern skyscraper, 101 Collins also features a board room but after seeing the Manchester Unity version, it looked quite plain. Neve

rtheless the views from the window were spectacular, as was the foyer which contains fountains and rows of Roman columns.

From there, I headed to the nearby T&G building, which was completely rebuilt (bar the façade) in the 1980′s. The T&G had a spectacular atrium which made for a good photographic subject.

Taking the tram down to Southbank, I then explored the Hamer Concert Hall and Victorian Arts Centre. It was somewhat bemusing that they were so keen to allow people to take photos when it was just a matter of months ago when I was almost chased out of the building for trying to take internal pics!

The Hamer Hall and Victorian Arts Centre are both really good examples of early-1980′s interior design and both are in immaculate condition. The various sections are coloured differently, but are all aesthetically linked by a consistency of signage, fittings and plush carpets. I found many interesting spaces to discover and got some really great photos. In all, I would have spent 45 minutes in there, including a considerable amount of time in the theatre.

My favourite space in the Hamer Hall was the Cadbury Schweppes Room, which was decorated in green. This unusual room is used to host VIP’s.

Nearer the end of the day, I visited the Queen’s Hall at the State Library of Victoria. Unfortunately it has been closed in recent years and is in need of refurbishment, but it was good to see the ‘Old Girl’ again after many years.

My final destination was the Denmark Club in the city’s west. A modern building, this is a place for Melbourne’s Danes to meet and socialise. It was somewhat smaller than I anticipated, but very stylish inside.

If the Melbourne Open House on again in 2010, I plan to visit the Federation Square ‘labrynth’ which I was unable to visit this year on account of having no time.

Overall, it was a great event and I thank the organisers and building owners for opening their ‘houses’ to the people of Victoria.