Art-deco torn down

One of Melbourne's landmark art-deco buildings - Lonsdale House - will be bulldozed to make way for a new CBD shopping Centre as part of the Myer redevelopment...

The State Government said today it had given planning approval for a $500 million upgrade of the Myer precinct, including demolition of Lonsdale House, which was denied a listing by Heritage Victoria.

Lonsdale House, on Lonsdale Street near Caledonian Lane, was reconstructed in 1934 from two different sized Victorian-era buildings.

The new Colonial Global Asset Management development, which will  be called Emporium Melbourne, will include 240 new shops and a makeover of Myer's iconic city store, which is largely heritage-protected.

‘‘The Emporium Melbourne project will complete the rejuvenation of Myer Melbourne and provide the final link the the chain of upgrades from the Myer Bourke Street and David Jones' stores, through to Melbourne Central and QV,'' Premier John Brumby said in a written statement.

He said the redevelopment would create up to 2500 construction jobs and highlighted business confidence in Victoria.

The president of the Art Deco & Modernism Society, Robin Grow, said the decision to demolish Lonsdale House was a disgrace.

‘‘As we said to the minister, we think it is a very significant building to Melbourne and we are absolutely outraged that this could happen primarily for a lane-widening project,'' he said.

He said he was also disappointed that Melbourne City Council had not defended Lonsdale House.

‘‘They just gave it up. They said they were more than happy for it to be demolished,'' he said.

‘‘If the City of Melbourne isn't prepared to defend buildings that are subject to heritage overlays then what is the point in having the heritage overlays, it is outrageous,'' he said.

‘‘What we are getting is replacing a classic building appreciated by people all over the world with another set of shops,'' he said.

‘‘What's this going to look like in 10 years?'' he asked.

Planning Minister Justin Madden said the development ‘‘married the significant heritage features of the site with contemporary urban architecture''.

Mr Madden said Lonsdale House would ‘‘make way for an iconic new entrance and improved access''.

The retail development is expected to be completed by Christmas 2012.

Head of property, Colonial First State Global Asset Management, Darren Steinberg, said in a written statement, ‘‘the Emporium Melbourne will further re-invigorate the city's retail core and strengthens Melbourne's CBD as one of Australia's premier retail destinations''.

The developers are considering an office space development above Emporium Melbourne.

Source: www.theage.com.au