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Carlton Hotel, 193-199 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Butler, Graeme01/01/1985

Scope and contents

Carlton Hotel is significant historically as one of the small number of hotels built in the Capital City Zone in the inter-war period, as a community gathering place since the 1930s, and as a design by hotel specialist Sydney Smith Ogg and Serpell who had created a large number of significant hotel buildings within the City and inner suburban Melbourne. Aesthetically it is a well preserved example (upper-level ) of the minority inter-war Moderne style in the City,

Record details

Title:

Carlton Hotel, 193-199 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Creator:

Butler, Graeme (Name details)

Date of work:

01/01/1985

Reference number:

BIF-CITY 101130

Level of description:

Item from Collection: Heritage Collection (HC)

Type of materials:

Graphic materials

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:

ASSOCIATED RESEARCH ADDED BY GRAEME BUTLER:Period: Inter-WarConstruction Date: 1936Graeme Butler & Associates 2011, Central City (Hoddle Grid) Heritage ReviewStatement of SignificanceWhat is significant?Reconstruction in 1936 of the Queensland Hotel, an old landmark In Bourke street, meant an expenditure of nearly £14,000 . The five-level hotel, on the south side of Bourke street, between Swanston and Russell streets, was renamed the Carlton Hotel. The freehold of the hotel had been purchased about two years earlier by Carlton and United Breweries Limited. Hotel specialist designers, Sydney Smith, Ogg, and Serpell, were the architects and Thompson and Chalmers Pty. Ltd. the builders. Daily newspaper, `The Argus', noted that the new modern hotel would ` improve the appearance of this section of the city'.The new hotel was of steel frame construction with fireproof reinforced concrete floors. The façade was faced in textured tapestry bricks and described at the time as `a modern treatment of the Renaissance style of architecture', meaning perhaps the Palazzo form. More Moderne than Renaissance, the façade is composed of simple vertical piers with windows separated by brick spandrel strips recessed between. The stepped cement rendered parapet (still unpainted) is stylised in the Moderne manner but with Greek revival motifs such as the bas-relief urns and parapet frieze. The suspended street awning (replaced in a massive rendered and steel terrace form) was similarly Moderne in style with fluting and bold imposed metal lettering. A vertical neon sign completed the up-to-date imagery needed for a City hotel where most of the existing hotels there had been built in the Edwardian-era or 1920s. The ground level has also been replaced but dividing piers are similar to the original.The Carlton Hotel relates well to the two corner commercial buildings to the east at Russell Street and the nearby Commonwealth Bank to the west.How is it significant?Carlton Hotel is significant historically and aesthetically to the Melbourne Capital City Zone.Why is it significant?Carlton Hotel is significant historically as one of the small number of hotels built in the Capital City Zone in the inter-war period, as a community gathering place since the 1930s, and as a design by hotel specialist Sydney Smith Ogg and Serpell who had created a large number of significant hotel buildings within the City and inner suburban Melbourne. Aesthetically it is a well preserved example (upper-level ) of the minority inter-war Moderne style in the City,REFERENCES:Lewis, Nigel 1976 Historic and Architectural Survey of the Central City of Melbourne Bourke Street, east, Area 8 of the survey commissioned by the Historic Buildings Preservation Council., p26;NEWSPAPERS:`The Argus': Tuesday 25 February 1936`LICENSING COURTAlterations to Bourke Street HotelCarlton and United Breweries Limited applied to the Licensing Court yesterday for approval of plans for alterations to the Queensland Hotel, Bourke street. The plans provide for a number of Internal alterations and the rebuilding of the front portion of the premises The work will begin In May and be completed about the end of October and the cost is estimated at £9 000 The plans were approved by the Court which also unproved of the name being changed from the Queensland Hotel to the Carlton Hotel An application for an existing tension of the licensed area was allowed to stand over'Tuesday 28 July 1936`Hotel to be RemodelledAn expenditure of nearly £14,000 is involved in an extensive plan of rebuilding and alterations to the Queensland Hotel, an old landmark In Bourke street. The hotel, which is on the south side of Bourke street, between Swanston and Russell streets, will be renamed the Carlton Hotel.The freehold of the hotel was purchased about two years ago by Carlton and United Breweries Limited. Messrs. Sydney Smith, Ogg, and Serpell, 349 Collins street, are the architects, and Thompson and Chalmers Pty. Ltd. the builders.Tuesday 13 October 1936`NEW CITY HOTELBourke Street BuildingThe rebuilding of the Queensland Hotel, a landmark on the south side of Bourke street, near Russell street, will improve the appearance of this section of the city. The original Intention of the owners was to build to three-story height, but they have now decided to extend to five floors, to provide additional bedrooms.The new building will have a frontage of 47ft, to Bourke street, and will be of steel frame construction with reinforced concrete floors. The façade will be carried out in textured bricks in a modern treatment of the Renaissance style of architecture. The hotel has been renamed the Carlton Hotel, and will be completed early In January.The architects for the work are Messrs. Sydney Smith, Ogg, and Serpell, of 340 Collins street. Thompson and 'Chalmers Pty. Ltd. are the builders.'18 Feb 1938:`The North Melbourne (football club) committee completed arrangements last night for a dinner to the retiring president (Dr D Berman) before his departure for overseas It will be held at the Carlton Hotel Bourke street on Thursday next Presentations will be made to Dr Berman and Mr G Woodbridge an official-for many years A smoke social for players and officials has been arranged by Mr E W Kaiser a new member of the committee …'Tuesday 1 December 1953`OUR CITY: Well-knownCarlton hotel runs a weekly raffle for charity. Last week's prizes were: First, two dozen bottles of beer; second, one dozen bottles of beer; third, a free counter lunch for the week.Winner of the third prize: The chef of a leading Melbourne .hotel.'SANDS & MCDOUGALL DIRECTORY OF VICTORIASummary:1940-1937: 195-199 Carlton Hotel1936-1931 195-199 Queensland Hotel(1930 195-197 Queensland Hotel199 Megalos & Florcas café)(D1935 195-197 Queensland Hotel199 Golden Age café)1939 M. McCarthy Carlton Hotel1944 -45 M. McCarthy Carlton Hotel1950 M. McCarthy Carlton HotelJ. Madden confr.1955 M. McCarthy Carlton HotelJ. Madden confr.1974 Carlton HotelCochrane, S

Names:

City of MelbourneSydney Smith Ogg & Serpell

Topics:

Conservation studiesHotels1930-1939Interwar periodCentral Activities District Conservation Study 1985

Places:

Melbourne (Vic.)

Form/Genre:

Building Identification Forms (BIFs)

Record types:

Research and reports

Record number:

1180151