Historic Albert Park Post Office demolition
September 30th, 2008
VCAT has pushed through the demolition of Albert Park’s historic post office to make way for an apartment tower in one of Melbourne’s most significant historic areas – the Bridport Street village.
Despite protests from local residents, the Victorian-era village is now set to lose much of its charm. Originally at over 4 storeys, the Metaxas Architects designed tower attracted 45 objections and the City of Port Phillip requested the plans be downscaled (fractionally) before approving the demolition with only a partial and heavily compromised facade of the old post office to remain and will lose its interiors and distinctive terracotta slate pitched roof.
The classical styled post office at 87 Dundas Place next to the Albert Park Hotel (itself the unfortunate victim of a modern makeover in the interwar years) is notable as a 1901 building with a columned entryway and pediment over three windows.
The permit history can be viewed here.
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2 Responses to “Historic Albert Park Post Office demolition”
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good ‘ole VCAT. better to demolish the whole thing, or of course just leave it, or perhaps even move the front part inact to the front of the site, with the tower part behind (a bit expensive I suppose)
As an Albert Park resident, I think the demolition of the Post Office is devastating. The area is so unique and beautiful because of the old buildings, and that is what makes the Albert Park village so charming. Modern apartments are a dime a dozen, but a charming old building like the Post Office is history, and that architectural history cannot be replaced once it is taken down. Albert Park will not remain unique and beautiful if the buildings are taken down, and history will be lost forever.
It is extremely upsetting that more was not done to prevent this from happening.
Freia E