Beehive Corner 2-34 King William Street Status: State Heritage Place History: This building occupies one of the most prominent sites in the City. The current building replaced an earlier development and was constructed in 1849 and is designed to express the importance of its location on the Beehive Corner. The level of detailing and the existence of the corner turret and beehive are unusual and distinctive. The Beehive defines the entrance to Rundle Mall. It has great streetscape significance to Rundle Mall and makes a notable, if low scale, architectural punctuation in King William Street. In the 1960 s, the integrity of the building was compromised by ground floor redevelopment, the removal of gables on the western elevation, and the encasement of a facade to King William Street. HIS Funding: In 1997-98, the Beehive Corner received HIS funding in order to reinstate the façade detailing that was lost in the 1960 s. This restoration project was significant May 20 2008 because it involved the coming together of funding from the ACC the State Heritage Department and private owners. All together, the building received Heritage funding in 10:30-11:30 am order of $500,000, the results being a significant improvement to the City. 1
Introduction Adelaide s historically significant buildings and streetscapes provide an important record of the ways in which communities once lived and worked. Effective use of Adelaide s historic buildings in today s world of rapid suburban and technological change is an ongoing challenge and an important goal. Providing incentives in order to assist property owners to undertake conservation is an effective means of protecting historically significant buildings in partnership with the owners. The Adelaide City Council operates one of the most generous Heritage Incentives Scheme (HIS) in Australia. This year, the HIS celebrate 20 years of providing financial assistance to owners of heritage building within the City. The results of the Heritage Incentives Scheme can be observed throughout the streets of Adelaide. The bus tour will showcase successful HIS projects, illustrate how local government can assist in the retention of local heritage and provide an understanding of the ways in which communities once lived and worked. Running order: 10:30am [page 4] 2-34 King William Street [page 5] 104 Hindley Street [page 6] 75 Light Square [page 6] 273 Waymouth Street [page 7] 293 Morphett Street [page 8] 215 Wright Street [page 8] 181 Sturt Street [page 9] 143-147 Hutt Street [page 10] 81 McLaren Street [page 11] 373-383 Halifax Street [page 12] Ada Street [page 13] Royal Ave 11:30am [page 14] 188 Gilles Street 3
Beehive Corner 2-34 King William Street Status: State Heritage Place History: This building occupies one of the most prominent sites in the City. The current building replaced an earlier development that was constructed in 1849 and is designed to express the importance of its location on the Beehive Corner. The level of detailing and the existence of the corner turret and beehive are unusual and distinctive. The Beehive defines the entrance to Rundle Mall. It has great streetscape significance to Rundle Mall and makes a notable, if low scale, architectural punctuation in King William Street. In the 1960 s, the integrity of the building was compromised by ground floor redevelopment, the removal of gables on the western elevation, and the encasement of a facade to King William Street. HIS Funding: In 1997-98, the Beehive Corner received HIS funding in order to reinstate the façade detailing that was lost in the 1960 s. This restoration project was significant because it involved the coming together of funding from the ACC the State Heritage Department and private owners. All together, the building received Heritage funding in order of $500,000, the results being a significant improvement to the City. 4
West Coffee Palace Hindley Street Status: State Heritage Place History: In the boom years of the late 1870s, Hindley Street was transformed from a piecemeal collection of buildings into an elegantly terraced street lined with buildings of strong architectural character, often with deep balconies. West s Coffee Palace, formerly known as Austral Stores, was built in 1903 during a period of renewed prosperity in the City. Its extensive use of stuccoed dressings, brick and Marseilles tiles, is tied to the Edwardian period and the eclectic approach to design by architects of this era. By this time coffee palaces were an established tradition in Adelaide. With the founding in 1884 of the South Australian Temperance Alliance, and the Women s Christian Temperance Union in 1886, the temperance movement gained a strong political and moral voice. Coffee palaces sprang up as a result of this philosophy, although by the time that Grant s Coffee Palace moved into the Austral Stores, the role of coffee palaces had changed to that of cheap accommodation with more frills than boarding houses. They remained unlicensed and were not classed as hotels. These were particularly popular with country visitors. The building has been subdivided, the shops sold, and in about 1960 the ornate veranda/balcony was removed and the present shopfronts were inserted. Although altered, the upper floor of the building remains remarkably original. HIS Funding: In 1997-98 the Wests Coffee Palace received HIS funding of approximately $100k in order to conserve the façade of the building. It has recently received a grant for a fire protection system to be installed. 5
Sands and McDougall Building 75-79 Light Square Status: State Heritage Place History: This building was built as a result of the economic boom that many businesses experienced in the 1880 s in Adelaide. This unusually tall building, for its time, was constructed in 1862 for Sands and McDougall, a stationary company. HIS Funding: This building has recently been awarded a HIS grant under the Major Conservation Project category in the HIS Operating Guidelines. The grant will contribute to professional advice and conservation works to the façade and the internal stairs associated with the conversion of the building for Common Ground housing. 273 Waymouth Street Status: Local Heritage Place History: Constructed in 1852, this complex is of particular historical significance because of its age. The buildings were erected for John Paull (storekeeper) and remained in the family s possession for over sixty years. The buildings were constructed for a variety of uses such as blacksmiths, tailors, shoemakers, bricklayers, bakers, watchmakers and labourers. Many of the original buildings have been demolished. However, the corner shop, residence and outbuilding, because of their substantial size and obvious success as a retail outlet, survived with a few of the smaller one storey working-class dwellings in the vicinity. Originally this building had yards to the west and south. The corner building was extended west across one yard after 1880. The complex is also an important feature of its environment, distinctive because of its scale and prominent corner site, and a focus for nearby development of a similar age. It helps to maintain the modest, residential/commercial character of Adelaide s old west end. HIS Funding: HIS funding has been granted on several occasions, the most significant being in 2001 when the facade was restored back to its original appearance. 6
293 Morphett Street Status: Local Heritage Place History: This fragile building is significant to the City of Adelaide because of its age and its illustration of early building techniques and features which are valuable reminders of the development of Adelaide. Originally constructed in 1848 as a three roomed cottage, the building was extended in 1857 by the erection of a one roomed shop; the shop front of which is now unique in the City. The appearance of the property has changed little since 1857. The property was purchased from the original owner by Martha Standley in 1913 from whom the present owner is descended. The building and its contents are a remarkably intact record of family life in the City for the majority of the twentieth century. The small structure exemplifies the early Adelaide constructional genre of gabled walling and casement windows to the residence and brick parapet and small paned window to the shop. The form of this building indicates a piecemeal development typical of much of Adelaide s vernacular buildings. The current owner has lived in the building for her entire life. HIS Funding: In 1998 the building received HIS funding of approximately $40k and an additional $60k from the low income housing fund. Prior to this, the building had not had any maintenance work or modernisation undertaken on it. The use of the HIS assisted in slightly modernised the house and extended the life expediency of the building which was severely deteriorated. 7
215 Wright Street Status: Local Heritage Place History: This dwelling stands as an example of Adelaide s early vernacular architecture being constructed in blue stone and hand made red brick. The side walls are of pise construction. Up until the beginning of this century, this house had become very run down and was virtually uninhabitable. HIS Funding: In 2002 the owner received HIS funding which allowed salt damp treatment, roofing and lime wash to be undertaken to make the building liveable. An extension at the rear is sympathetic to the original form of the building and effectively brings our modern living standards to the old cottage, thus retaining it as an example of early Adelaide architecture. 181 Sturt Street Status: Local Heritage Place History: This building was the house of cameleer Mahomet Allum. Mahomet was renound for his herbal health treatments and his generous donations to the Adelaide Mosque. Years of neglect and unsympathetic alterations had appeared to take this building to the point of no return. HIS Funding: In 2006 the building received a grant that assisted in returning the building it to its former appeal and dominating street presence. This illustrates how some financial assistance and professional advice can really benefit not only the building and the owners but the entire street and surrounding buildings. 8
Dormer House 143-147 Hutt Street Status: Local Heritage Place History: Dormer House was formerly the Women s Christian Temperance Union. HIS Funding: This building has recently been awarded a HIS grant under the Major Conservation Project category in the HIS Operating Guidelines. The grant will go towards professional advice and conservation works to the façade, assisting re-instatement of the ornate balcony ornamentation. 9
81 Mclaren Street Status: Local Heritage Place History: McLaren Street is a relatively intact street with many cottages remaining in their original condition. This property was extremely run down and required significant conservation work in order to bring it back to a liveable condition. HIS Funding: In 2007 the owner received HIS funds in order to assist with the conservation work and advice on techniques used to restore the building. 10
St Johns Anglican 373-383 Halifax Street Status: State Heritage Place History: When the first brick church was opened in 1841 on this site, it was called St John s in the Wilderness as it stood on the almost unoccupied south-eastern section of the city. This small church served a few local residents and the inhabitants from across the Park Lands. The church had a rocky start and was closed or partly closed on several occasions during its first decade of existence. It wasn t until the economic boom of the 1870-80s that the area around St Johns became more populated and the church was utilised by the new residents. The churches increase in popularity and status resulted in the need for more room and as a result in 1879-80 the Parish Hall was built, and in 1883 the new rectory. In 1887 the foundation stone of the new St John s, as it stands today was laid. HIS Funding: Buildings such as St Johns Church and surrounding buildings require continual conservation in order to avoid their deterioration. Therefore, St Johns church and the surrounding buildings have received numerous HIS grants over recent years. Grants have included salt damp treatment to the hall, re-roofing of the priory and reports for the priory balcony restoration. 11
Ada Street Status: Most houses- Local Heritage Place History: Until 1900 Ada Street was called Killua Street. The street has retained all but one of its buildings from the late 1800 s and therefore it appears much as it did over 100 years ago. There are few modern buildings amongst the intact historic buildings. The oldest building in the street is number 11 which was built in 1857. Many of the other buildings were built slightly later in the 1870 s. HIS Funding: Many of the houses in the street have received HIS allocations. Ada Street will soon be another great example of how the use of the HIS can benefit an entire streetscape, allowing historic buildings to be utilised in modern society. 12
Royal Ave Status: Most houses Local Heritage Place History: Royal Ave is a very intact street with all of the buildings on the street remaining from its first development in the late 1800 s HIS Funding: Royal Ave is a great example of the results that can be achieved when a whole street takes advantage of the HIS in order to conserve each building. The accurate reproduction of the picket fences and façade restoration gives a clear picture of how the street originally would have looked. Most of these home owners received HIS funds. 13
Beresford Arms 188 Gilles Street Status: State Heritage Place History: This building, known as the Beresford Arms, was first licensed in 1840 with John Martin as landlord. J. Martin remained landlord for seven years but retained ownership for more than thirty. The building is rare as an example of the very early vernacular architecture at the time of the settlement of Adelaide. All other early drinking holes were subsequently replaced by more substantial buildings. By 1851 the Beresford Arms, later known as the Oddfellows Arms, was described as an eight roomed stone and brick house. In 1858, the interior was renovated, the long room and the square room being floored in a workmanlike manner. The Oddfellows Arms ceased trading in 1861. The building is part of an early town acre subdivision. Although fragile and in poor condition and overshadowed by recent development, this building is extremely valuable to the historical interpretation of vernacular construction and early colonial inns in the city. HIS Funding: In 2006, Adelaide City Council purchased the property in order to restore the building after years of neglect and fire damage. To date work has been undertaken in treating the salt damp, re-roofing the building and re-building the floor. Once the building has been restored to a point that it can become a functional building again, it will be placed on the market and sold through a tender process to a suitable purchaser. 14
Notes Thank you for participating in the 2008 Adelaide City Council History Week Bus Tour. We hope you found the tour educational and enjoyable! For further heritage information please contact the Adelaide City Council on (08) 8203 7203. Alternatively heritage information can be found on the internet - http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com Council s offices are located at 25 Pirie Street, Adelaide and are open 8:30am - 5:30pm, Monday to Friday. 15
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