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Debenham's warehouse, later Cavendish House, 27-37 Russell Street & 153-159 Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Butler, Graeme1985
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Title:
Debenham's warehouse, later Cavendish House, 27-37 Russell Street & 153-159 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Creator:
Butler, Graeme (Name details)
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 108532
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
Part of:
Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
Access restrictions:
UnrestrictedOpen access.
Use restrictions:
UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
General notes:
RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2022:__________________________________________________DATE: 1927;ASSOCIATIONS: Debenhams (Australia) Proprietary Limited;DESIGNER: A & K Henderson;BUILDER: Watts and SonsPeriod: Inter-War.GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYStatement of SignificanceHistoryArchitects A & K Henderson designed this eight level 'brick and concrete Warehouse' in 1927, for prospective owner-occupiers, Messrs Debenham (Australia) Pty Ltd, silk, cotton and woollen goods Wholesalers. Other early occupants were Samuel Zimbler, a fur and skin dealer, J Templeton & Co., carpet importers, Gardner Russell & Co., E H Wade Pty Ltd, mantle manufacturers, K W Bevan, Catts-Patterson Co., and the caretaker, George Giles. Ten years on Wade, the owners and Templeton were still there, now joined by Ingot Mills Ltd (cotton goods makers), Mascot & Emperor Sewings Pty Ltd, cotton importers and S Courtauld and Co Pty Ltd, silk merchants. Debenham were there as recently as the 1960s.DescriptionElevated after the ubiquitous neo-Grec or Greek Revival style, the composition is dominated by stylised giant Doric order pilasters which support a heavy, overhanging cornice. Placed as window/spandrel strips, between each pilaster, the casement sashes are multi-paned with the characteristic saltire cross motif in the top lights. The base is smooth-rusticated and adorned with Tuscan order coupled columns, which transfer visually the structural weight of the pilasters to ground. Twin attic-type windows blink out from under their voussoir brows, above each giant doorway to provide some visual uniformity to the elevation by combating the effect of the sharply sloping ground line. One advantage in the sloping site was increased head-height afforded for the loading dock at the Southern entrance. The main Warehouse Showroom was entered up radiused stairs, and through a revolving door at the north doorway, while the main tenants entrance was in Flinders Lane, where stairs and single lift took customers to an impressive first level, with dado panelling and a lantern roof light, and beyond to the smaller and more utilitarian levels above. As well as possessing high windows and more dado panelling, at ground level the roof lantern was allowed to shed its light through a light-well to offer a beckoning light to those who entered the ground level Showroom from the Flinders Lane lobby.External IntegrityAir units added to windows.StreetscapeRelates to the former State Theatre, at the Flinders Street corner, as a fellow corner building of the same era, scale and finish, but possesses .... Similarly, but now with a stylistic similarity, it related to the former E.S. & A. Bank, 42-44 Russell Street, diagonally opposite.Statement of SignificanceA successful, near original but late design in a popular commercial style of the period which is among the more grand of the Lane's clothing and material Warehouses and plays a streetscape role..GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORMcites CITY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION 4184 15/7/1913Designer: C. J. McCrae; owner: John W Rice;_________________________________________CiTY OF MELBOURNE BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONSIndex cardhttps://www.ancestry.com.au/imageviewer/collections/60672/images/44777_349576-00231?pId=8572361927 Jan 22 9292 ₤41,000 Erection of warehouseetc_________________________________________City of Melbourne online mapsCavendish House Apartments:A nine storey brick and concrete warehouse with a basement. Designed in the Greek Revival style by A & K Henderson. Built for the softgoods manufacturers Debenhams (Australia) Proprietary Limited in 1927. Refurbished to a design by David Earle & Associates and subdivided into residential units and ground floor retail with the addition of the top two floors in 1994.This property contains 29 residential properties, 2 shops and 1 food and drink outlet._________________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)Tuesday 22 March 1927 - Page 15https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3844911 illust.REAL ESTATE AND BUILDINGFLINDERS LANE WAREHOUSE.Brick and Hollow Block.Although changes are taking place in the distribution of merchandise through the wholesale warehouses of Flinders lane, several new buildings for warehouse purposes have been erected within the last two sears, and the illustration shows another building of the kind that is to be constructed on the south west corner of Flinders lane and Russell street This is to be a structure of seven stories, and contrary to the usual practice today of utilising concrete for the buildings, is to be of brick. Another novel feature is the use of hollow blocks for all the floors. With brick walls and block floors the building will be effectively fire resisting, but other precautions against fire have been taken in every direction possible. All the window frames will be of steel, and a complete fire lighting equipment will be installed. Another notable feature will be the installation of hot and cold water service throughout the building. Electrical and other services will also be of the most modem type. The building will occupy a site of 78ft frontage to Russell street and 76ft. to Flinders lane. The architects are Messrs. Anketell and K. Henderson, and the builders Messrs. Watts and Sons. While this building is under construction another and greater building, near the site in Russell street, is being constructed to design by Messrs. Anketell and K. Henderson, this being the new home of the Temperance and General Life Assurance Company. The two buildings will occupy space equal to one complete block of a city street. They will also have the effect of making a large increase in the business
Related material link:
Cavendish House, 27-37 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14387\\)Cavendish House, 27-37 Russell Street, Melbourne (Butler14388\\)
Names:
City of MelbourneMcCrae, C J
Topics:
Central Activities District Conservation Study 1985Conservation studiesFederation/Edwardian styleInterwar periodOffices
Places:
Melbourne (Vic.)
Form/Genre:
Building Identification Forms (BIFs)
Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1261878
Bookmark link:
https://librarysearch.melbourne.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/ENQ/OPAC/ARCENQ?SETLVL=&RNI=1261878
TypeReference No.ExtentStatus/Desc
Original1085321 JPEG : 597 KB ; A4Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced)
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