Preservation - Myer Melbourne, Bourke Street and Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
(HB & FW Tompkins)
Myer Melbourne, Bourke St Store
SPRING 2006 - Preservation News
Following the recommendation of the Myer buildings for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register, negotiations took place between Myer managemnent and Heritage Victoria over the extent of the registration. A number of components of the site (small shops, a lane and a bridge over Little Bourke St) have been exempted. ADS is delighted that this truly iconic set of buildings is now protected by Victoria's Heritage legislation.WINTER 2006 - Preservation News
As reported previously, the Myer complex has been recommended for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register. However, as expected, the new owners of Myer have lodged an objection to the listing. A hearing will be conducted in September, when the details of their objection will be revealed.APRIL 2006 - Preservation News
After an extended review by Heritage Victoria, the Myer's city emporium complex is to be recommended for inclusion on the Victorian Register of Historic Buildings.In 2005, ADS nominated the Bourke St and Lonsdale St facades and the Myer Mural Hall on level 6 in Bourke St. However, Heritage Victoria's listing goes further than our nomination had sought and covers the entire Myer complex, made up of 10 buildings acquired or built by the businessman and philanthropist Sidney Myer between 1911 and 1931.
SUMMER 2006 - Preservation News
Last year ADS nominated parts of the iconic Myer department store for inclusion on the Victorian Heritage Register. The nomination covers two street facades (Bourke St and Lonsdale St), together with the Myer Mural Hall on the 6th Floor.Whilst the application is being assessed, the Coles Myer Group invited expressions of interest from prospective purchasers of the building, with an estimated value of $400m. A series of redevelopment options were presented to prospective purchasers, but it is not known if Coles Myer provided information about the potential heritage listing. However, Reuters business reports noted the existence of the nomination. This situation raises the issue of the effect of a possible heritage listing on the structure of a bid.
AUTUMN 2005 - Preservation News
ADS recently submitted a nomination to Heritage Victoria for the listing of the facades of the Myer buildings (Bourke St and Lonsdale St) and the Myer Mural Hall, 6th Floor, Bourke St. The submission was supported by the National Trust.Both buildings were designed by prominent architects, HB and FW Tompkins, and the Mural Hall (6th Floor, Bourke St) features a series of murals by noted Melbourne painter Napier Waller. It is one of the few remaining halls from the 1930s in department stores in the world. A major thrust of the ADS submission is the social and historical importance to Melbourne of the Myer stores, and ADS has been delighted with the positive feedback about the importance of listing and preserving these spaces.
The word "icon" is overworked today, but in the case of the Myer store, it is an accurate description. This is a major preservation initiative by the Society and we are now awaiting the assessment of our submission by Heritage Victoria.