CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN QUEEN VICTORIA BUILDING: 455 GEORGE STREET, SYDNEY SH1371 PREPARED FOR CITY OF SYDNEY COUNCIL URBIS STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPORT WERE: Director, Heritage Jonathan Bryant, B Sc Arch (Hons), B Arch Hons, M Herit Cons, M. ICOMOS Associate Director, Heritage Lynette Gurr, B Arts (Hons), B Sc Arch (Hons), B Arch, M Herit Cons, M.ICOMOS Senior Consultant, Historian Léonie Masson, B Arts (Lib Sc.), Grad Dip (Loc. App His) Heritage Consultant Alida Eisermann, B Anc. Hist., M. Museum and Heritage Studies Heritage Assistant Kate Long, B Lib. Arts Project Code SH1371 Report Number 01 50% Progress draft 5 July 2018 02 90% Progress draft 22 August 2018 03 100% Report issue 28 May 2019 04 100% Report issue 27 June 2019 05 100% Report issue 8 August 2019 © Urbis Pty Ltd ABN 50 105 256 228 All Rights Reserved. No material may be reproduced without prior permission. You must read the important disclaimer appearing within the body of this report. urbis.com.au CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................. i 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Brief ....................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Site Location ......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3. Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.4. Author Identification & Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... 2 1.5. Abbreviations & Definitions ................................................................................................................... 3 2. Site Description ..................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1. Site Location, Access & Setting ............................................................................................................ 6 2.2. Built Form and Elements....................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1. Architectural Style ................................................................................................................................. 7 2.2.2. The Queen Victoria Building ................................................................................................................. 8 2.2.3. The Façades ......................................................................................................................................... 9 2.2.4. Ground Floor Shopfronts .................................................................................................................... 11 2.2.5. Upper Floor Windows ......................................................................................................................... 14 2.3. Internal Spaces ................................................................................................................................... 14 2.3.1. Tunnel to Town Hall Railway Station .................................................................................................. 14 2.3.2. QVB Walk ........................................................................................................................................... 15 2.3.3. Tunnel to Myer Department Store ...................................................................................................... 16 2.3.4. Ground Floor (Grand Walk) ................................................................................................................ 17 2.3.5. First Floor ............................................................................................................................................ 20 2.3.6. Second Floor ....................................................................................................................................... 22 2.3.7. Third Floor ........................................................................................................................................... 24 2.3.8. Fourth Floor ........................................................................................................................................ 26 2.4. External Spaces .................................................................................................................................. 27 2.4.1. Market Street ...................................................................................................................................... 27 2.4.2. Bicentennial Plaza .............................................................................................................................. 27 2.4.3. York Street .......................................................................................................................................... 28 2.4.4. George Street ..................................................................................................................................... 28 2.5. Construction System ........................................................................................................................... 28 2.6. The QVB Carpark ............................................................................................................................... 30 2.6.1. Construction ........................................................................................................................................ 30 2.7. Integrity ............................................................................................................................................... 30 2.8. Condition of Exterior ........................................................................................................................... 33 2.9. Condition of Interior ............................................................................................................................. 33 3. History of the Site ................................................................................................................................ 35 3.1. Historical Sources ............................................................................................................................... 35 3.2. Pre-European Occupation .................................................................................................................. 35 3.3. Historical Overview ............................................................................................................................. 35 3.3.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 35 3.3.2. Brief Development of Retailing in Sydney .......................................................................................... 35 3.3.3. Arcade and Emporium Development 1880-1915 ............................................................................... 36 3.3.4. Brief History of Market Trading in Sydney .......................................................................................... 36 3.3.5. George McRae City Architect ............................................................................................................. 43 3.3.6. Design of New City Markets ............................................................................................................... 44 3.3.7. William McIntosh ................................................................................................................................. 46 URBIS SH1371_CMP_QUEEN_VICTORIA_BUILDING 3.3.8. Construction of New City Markets ...................................................................................................... 47 3.3.9. Opening of the Queen Victoria Market Building 1898 ........................................................................ 52 3.3.10. Early tenants of the QVB .................................................................................................................... 53 3.4. Major Alterations, 1918 ....................................................................................................................... 55 3.5. Second Major Alterations, 1934 .......................................................................................................... 60 3.6. Proposed Demolition........................................................................................................................... 63 3.7. Major Growth in the City ..................................................................................................................... 64 3.8. Battle for Conservation ....................................................................................................................... 64 3.9. Reconstruction and Restoration ......................................................................................................... 66 3.10. Bicentennial Plaza .............................................................................................................................