City of Melbourne store, electricity supply services meters branch, 602-614 Little Bourke Street & 605-619 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Butler, Graeme1985
Archives
Total copies: 1
Title:
City of Melbourne store, electricity supply services meters branch, 602-614 Little Bourke Street & 605-619 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Creator:
Date of work:
1985
Reference number:
BIF-CITY 110706
Level of description:
Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)
Type of materials:
Graphic materialsTextual material
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Series: Central City (BIF-CITY)
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UnrestrictedOpen access.
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UnrestrictedPlease contact City of Melbourne Libraries about obtaining permission to reproduce images.
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RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER 2024:__________________________________________________DATE: 1949;ASSOCIATIONS: City of Melbourne;DESIGNER: Eric Nation Beilby, City of Melbourne City Architect__________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWStatement of SignificanceFormer Melbourne City Council Power Station (617 (part) and651-669 Lonsdale Street, 602-606 and 620-648 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne), April 2022.What is significant?The former Melbourne City Council Power Station buildings, 617-639 (part) and 651-669 LonsdaleStreet, 602-606 and 620-648 Little Bourke Street Melbourne, located across the block bounded by LittleBourke, Lonsdale and Spencer streets, built between 1908 and 1985.Elements that contribute to the significance of the place include:• CitiPower substation (Substation J) at 651-669 Lonsdale Street, which comprises the bricksubstation from 1920, and the reinforced concrete additions to the south from 1950s and to the eastin 1953 (former Control Building)• External walls to the façade and north and south elevations of the Office Building, now part of 617-639 Lonsdale Street (with frontages to Spencer Street)• Economiser Building, now part of 617-639 Lonsdale Street (with frontages to Little Bourke Street),built in 1908• Overhead Water Tank, fashioned out of prefabricated cast-iron panels in 1888 and relocated to thissite in 1927• Substation JA at 620-648 Little Bourke Street, which comprises the post-1925 substation (built as aworkshop and later converted to a substation) adjacent to Cleve Lane and a large substationconstructed in 1985 on the site of the former 1903 Boiler House• Melbourne City Council Archives building (former Store Building) at 602-606 Little Bourke Street.Recent changes, including the interventions to the original fabric during redevelopment works after 2006and associated apartment towers, are not significant.How it is significant?The former Melbourne City Council Power Station buildings, (part of) 617-639 Lonsdale Street, 651-669Lonsdale Street, 602-606 Little Bourke Street, and 620-648 Little Bourke Street Melbourne, are ofhistoric, rarity and representative significance to the City of Melbourne. The overhead water tank (VHRH2117) is of historic, rarity and technical significance to the City of Melbourne.Why it is significant?The former Melbourne City Council Power Station buildings, built between 1908 and 1985, arehistorically significant for their association with the development of Melbourne's electricity supplynetwork established in 1894 and for their ability to demonstrate the provision of electricity to metropolitanMelbourne by Melbourne City Council from 1894 into the early 1980s. In 1894, Melbourne City Councilwas the first metropolitan council in Victoria to establish its own electricity supply and distributionnetwork, which in turn facilitated the residential, commercial and industrial expansion of the city. Theform, scale and fabric of the individual buildings provides physical evidence of the system’s expansionduring the early decades of the twentieth century into the postwar era and a range of the power station’scomponent parts.The surviving physical fabric of the former power station site is significant as rare surviving evidence ofthe infrastructure built by the Melbourne City Council Electricity Supply Department as part ofMelbourne’s expanding electricity network, and as a substantial remnant of the former Melbourne CityCouncil Power Station, which was closed in 1982. Following the closure of the power station, the extantSubstation J (651-669 Lonsdale Street) and Substation JA (620-648 Little Bourke Street) operatedunder the ownership of Melbourne City Council in conjunction with the State Electricity Commission ofVictoria (SECV) until the privatisation of the electricity industry saw it transferred to CitiPower Ltd in1998. Substation JA represents the continued use of the site for the supply of electricity into the 1980s,before the privatisation of the electricity industry. (Criteria A and B)The overhead water tank at the former MCC Power Station is of historic significance as the onlysurviving element of the original nineteenth-century system that generated and supplied hydraulic poweracross the City of Melbourne until the 1960s. (Criteria A and B)The former Melbourne City Council Power Station site comprises individual buildings that are significantas representative examples of their type. Substation J (part of 651-699 Lonsdale Street), a three-storeybrick substation built in 1920, is a representative example of a Melbourne City Council substationdesigned by its own architects’ branch. Utilitarian in its design, it incorporates stripped back classicalelements and natural materials. Details used in Substation J are consistent with the architecturalcharacter of other later interwar substations built by Melbourne City Council. The post-1925 CitiPowersubstation at the eastern part of 620-648 Little Bourke Street is a largely intact example of an interwarfactory building, consistent in form, scale and materiality with the many low-scale warehouse/factorybuildings of similar utilitarian character. The lack of superfluous decoration reinforces the building’sdisciplined industrial aesthetic. (Criterion D)The overhead water tank at the former MCC Power Station is of scientific (technical) significance for itsearly and rare use of prefabricated cast iron panels. This type of construction allowed for its reuse at theformer MCC Power Station site, albeit at a reduced scale to suit the different pumping arrangements.(Criterion F)Primary sourceHoddle Grid Heritage Review (Context & GJM Heritage, 2020) (updated March 2022)_____________________GRAEME BUTLER 1985 MELBOURNE CENTRAL ACTIVITIES DISTRICT CONSERVATION STUDYBUILDING IDENTIFICATION FORM dates as 1952Cityscope: Map 18, property 2: Various factories, offices, warehouses and lanes owned by the MCC and used by its Electricity Supply Department Lonsdale St… Lt Boulke St frontagefrontage_______________________________________City of Melbourne MapsSix storey rendered brick warehouse built in 1952_______________________________________CONTEXT (WITH GJM HERITAGE) 2020, HODDLE GRID HERITAGE REVIEWHISTORICAL CONTEXTProviding essential servicesMelbourne was one of the first major cities in the world, along with London and New York, to have a public electricity supply where electricity was distributed from a central generating station for use by paying private customers and for public street lighting. The nascent electricity supply enterprises adapted quickly to a new public utility technology that had its origins in the UK, USA and Europe but 'which enabled local ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to flourish'. In addition, Melbourne’s early public electricity supply development encompassed most of the evolutionary technical and structural facets of the industry (Pierce 2009:8). The Melbourne City Council was the first metropolitan council to establish its own electricity supply and distribution network in 1894.By 1903 the Melbourne City Council Electricity Supply Department (MCCESD) was one of four electricity supply companies in Victoria and supplied 53.6 per cent of total generating capacity. Electric trams relied on this power supply when they commenced operation in Melbourne in 1906. The Melbourne Electricity Supply Co (MES Co.) formed in 1907, when the Electric Light & Traction Company changed its name (Pierce 2009:5-6). Demand for electricity grew rapidly in the early decades of the twentieth century. The bulk of the Melbourne metropolitan area was supplied by just two companies, the aforementioned MCCESD and MES Co who obtained their supply from the Spencer Street Power Station until the Newport A Power station was built at the mouth of the Yarra River between 1913 and 1918 (Edwards 1969:27-29).The State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV) was established in 1921 under the chairmanship of Sir John Monash. The first SECV projects were the construction of the first brown coal power plant at Newport B (adjacent to the Victorian Railways Newport A traction power station), which came on line in 1923, and Yallourn A (the first Latrobe Valley power station), which opened in stages from 1924. Meanwhile, the SECV began to establish and develop its supply and distribution network. The first stage involved the construction of substations at key locations. In 1930, the MES Co. was formally acquired by the SECV (Pierce 2009:8). The Spencer Street Power Station supplied the inner city of Melbourne with electricity until the 1960s.In 1994, the Kennett government launched an extensive reform of the Victorian electricity industry, resulting in the creation of five electricity distribution companies based on geographic regions that took over the responsibilities of the SECV and the 11 Municipal Electricity Undertakings in inner Melbourne..Former Electricity Supply Store, 602-606 Little Bourke Street, and CitiPower substation, (part of) 620-648 Little Bourke StreetBoth the former Electricity Supply Store (built in stages in 1949 and 1955) and CitiPower substation (built c1910-25) were developed as part of the broader Spencer Street Power Station that closed in 1982.The 2008 redevelopment of the former Spencer Street Power Station site resulted in physical changes and disintegration of the buildings in that complex..From 1946 to 1952 the City Architect’s Office developed plans for new power station buildings for the Electric Supply Department, and by the mid-1950s a number of additions had been made to the MCCPower Station in Spencer Street. Major additions to the complex included the new Engine and Boiler Room adjoined to the austere concrete Office Block (frontages to Lonsdale Street as seen in Figure7, demolished), a new Store Building (today’s 602-606 Little Bourke Street), Oil Storage and Amenities Buildings (frontages to both Little Bourke and Lonsdale streets, demolished) (Elphinstone1986:12). These new additions replaced many earlier structures, including a group of 1920s brick workshops that were demolished to accommodate extensions to the turbine house. The two-storeybrick warehouse on the eastern portion of 620-648 Little Bourke Street is the only surviving 1920s workshop of the group built in Cleve Lane (see Figure 7).The former Melbourne City Council Stores Building was built in 1949 on the vacant land formerly used by Council as an electric store yard in conjunction with its Spencer Street Power Station electricsupply services and meters branch (S&Mc 1942). In November 1949, the Melbourne City Council called for tenders for building a ‘Stores Building’, at ‘600 Little Bourke Street’, for the Melbourne CityCouncil Electricity Supply Department (Age 5 November 1939:13). The Melbourne City Council called another tender in December 1949 for the erection and completion of a three-storey steel-framed andreinforced concrete Store Building, to a design from the City Architect’s office (Age 14 December 1949:19). The Store Building, also known as the Electric Supply Store, became six-storey, beingadded with three storeys in 1955. In the 1950s, the site was interchangeably addressed as number 600, 602 or 602-604 Little Bourke Street, and by 1960, it became known as 602-606 Little BourkeStreet (S&Mc 1950, 1955 & 1960)..._______________________________________NEWSPAPERS (TROVE)1931https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4410629Beilby & Gibbs.1934MR ERIC BEILBY, Chief Architect of the Melbourne City Council, sailed by the Wonganella yesterday on a world tour. He will study municipal work on behalf of the Council.,1937https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11093086Victorian Architects Institute congratulate Eric Beilby for appointment to City Architect.1951https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246269614Years Of City Architect's Work Finished Up On ShelfWhen the retiring City Architect, Mr Eric Beilby toured the Town Hall yesterday afternoon on a farewell hand-shaking, he looked ruefully at two hundredweight of papers in the Town Hall strongroom — "shelved" plans produced over the years by the City Architect's Department, j Mr Beilby sighed most deeply as he fingered the wads of plans for the "new" abattoirs and saleyards at Flemington. "They've had us playing round with that; plan for 30 years," -he said. "But the Government has blocked us every lime. And there are wads of plans for a new fish market. They've been having us play round with that "one for 15 or 20 years. The Government and- lack of, materials hold! it up." Wads - and more wads of plans for the Eastern and Western Markets represent, tens of thousands of architect man-hours during 20 to 25 years, Mr Beilby laments.- "You reporters, are hard if you talk of these plans being in cold storage," chided Mr Beilby, an . unhurrying, calm man of 65. "You are far too hard on the council. -They are held back by - the Building Directorate, by lack of labor, lack of .materials, lack of funds:City architect since 1936, Mr Beilbv joined the Council stall in 1910. He was hired by Mr H E Morton, then city architect. - -Mr Beilby has no regrets about the absence of any elegant civic pile to stand as his monument. He is happy to have designed solid utilitarian power stations and the like. But he is particularly fond of one of his plans— the old men's shelter in Exhibition Gardens, built in 1938..2023 CBD Newshttps://www.cbdnews.com.au/make-room-homelessness-housing-project-a-step-closer-despite-objections/David Schout | 23rd August, 2023...Plans for 50 studio apartments to house rough sleepers in a six-storey Little Bourke St building are progressing.A CBD project that plans to house rough sleepers is a step closer, after $1.1 million works were approved by City of Melbourne councillors despite almost 40 objections.Partial demolition and building works at 602-606 Little Bourke St were unanimously backed by councillors as part of the “Make Room” project.The initiative, between the City of Melbourne, Victorian Government, Unison Housing, and corporate and philanthropic sectors, plans to convert the building into secure accommodation for people experiencing homelessness and sleeping rough.The building, on the CBD’s western fringe, will eventually offer up to 50 studio apartments and wraparound support services for residents who, according to the council, will stay for up to 12 months or until they are connected with long-term housing.At an August 1 Future Melbourne Committee meeting councillors considered the changes needed to the building required to fit out supported residential accommodation, and whether they were acceptable from a heritage and urban design perspective.The six-storey rendered brick building, constructed in 1952, was “in need of some much-needed TLC (tender loving care)” according to the council’s director of planning and building Julian Edwards.A total of 38 people objected to the plans, concluding that the project would not provide a positive impact on the city.Objectors said the Make Room project would decrease security and personal safety of surrounding residents, while increasing crime rates and litter.Others said it would negatively impact nearby commercial interests and property prices.However most of the objections were deemed irrelevant, as they focused on the “use” of the land as a supported residential facility, which did not require planning permission.“Upon review of the objections received for the application, the majority of the concerns raised are associated with the intended use of the building for the Make Room project, and not in relation to the proposed works or heritage considerations,” an officer’s report said. “These concerns do not fall within the remit of council’s discretion when assessing the application, and therefore, cannot be addressed through this planning application.”The approved works would see the building be re-rendered, all external windows replaced, construction of a new pedestrian entrance and the landscaping of the roof to feature a rooftop garden.It was set be retrofitted and significantly improved (rather than demolished), something the council has been vocally supporting in recent times, particularly from an environmental perspective.“That helps preserve the fabric of our city – in this case a building that has received significant heritage grading – as well as being a far superior sustainable building outcome.”The City of Melbourne has said the “landmark” CBD project was crucial for the city.“People can re-take control of their lives when housing is available,” it said.“However, without a continued supply of short term housing options in inner Melbourne, people will continue to end up sleeping on our streets.” •Illust.Caption: An artist impression of the proposed “Make Room” project on Little Bourke St._______________________________________DIRECTORIES OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE-SANDS AND KENNY, SANDS & MCDOUGALL1942602 M.C.C. Elec Store YardRose alley604-610 M.C.C. Elec Supply (services meters branch)Cleve lane1961602-610 M.C.C. Elec Supply (services meters branch)Rose alley
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Record types:
Research and reports
Record number:
1266265
| Type | Reference No. | Extent | Status/Desc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original | 110706 | 1 JPEG : 245 KB ; A4 | Single Item (May not be issued, may not be reproduced) |