the block arcade.pdf

7/28/2019 the block arcade.pdf

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BLOCK ARCADE

A Melbourne Icon on Collins and Elizabeth Streets

COLLINS STREET ENTRANCE


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1. Collins Street Faade

2. The Location

3. Briscoes Bulk Grain Store

4. Great Fire in Melbourne

5. The Block modelled on Galleria Vittorio

6. A view of Elizabeth Street

7. Views of Collins Street

8. ClassicationCitation

9. How The Block took its name

10 - 11 The Block Arcade from under The Dome

12. The Block Court Building13. Doing The Block

14. The new way of shopping

15. Built as two separate wings

16. First for The Block

17. Hopetoun Tea Rooms

18. More Destination Shops

19. Murals, Mosaics and Art Decor

20. Elizabeth Street Faade

CONTENTS

ELIZABETH STREET WING

96 - 102 Elizabeth Street

BLOCK COURT

288 - 292 Collins Street

COLLINS STREET WING

280 - 286 Collins Street

BLOCK PLACE

Access to Little Collins Street

THE LOCATION

96-102

288-292 280-286

The Block

Arcade

BlockPlace

BalcombePlace

DameEdnaPlace

Block

Court

The

Block

ELIZABETHS

TREET

COLLINS STREET

LITTLE COLLINS STREET

THE BLOCK ARCADE

Front CoverCollins Street photographby van der Toorren Block Arcade Studios

The Brief History of The Block Arcade -Compiled by Don Parsons of The Block Arcade

February 2010


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The site of the Collins Street wing of the arcade was auctioned by Robert Hoddle in 1837.The auction was conducted on the corner of Collins and William Streets by Hoddle standing

on a makeshift podium which was really a fallen tree. The date was 1st June 1837

andwasoneof Melbournesveryrstlandauctions.

Thepriceachievedforthelandwasthemagnicentsumofeighteenpounds($36).

The purchase was by William Briscoe & Son.

BriscoesBulkGrainStoreoccupiedthesite(CollinsStreetwing)from1856-1883.TheBriscoe

buildingwasconsideredtobeamagnicentconstructionof thetime.Thisbusinessdealtin

the supply of grain, lumber and ironmongery to farmers. William Briscoe & Son had been in

business in England for 110 years with branches in Wolverhampton and London.Briscoes found the multi level building to be impractical, materials such as steel, fencing and

ironhadtobehauleduptotheupperoorsbyropesandpulleys,astherewerenolifts.This

was time consuming and added to the costs of the materials and produce. Subsequently

Briscoes relocated to a single level site in Queen Street. By 1883 Briscoes held contracts to

supply materials for the Victorian Railways. They also built railway stations and roads.

The Collins Street building was sold to George Brothers and then occupied by a store trading

as George and Georges Federation Emporium.

ThiswasinfacttherstGeorgesStoreinMelbourne.

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Artists impression in line drawing of the original Briscoes Bulk Grain Store Building.This drawing was produced before the George and Georges ownership.

BRISCOES BULKGRAIN STORE

This was the originalstore on the site of the

Block Arcade.

The bluestone foundations

remain in Collins Street

today.


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Aspectacularrestartedataround6.15pmonFriday13thSeptember1889intheGeorgesstoreonTheBlocksite.ThereandassociateddamagewasreportedintheArgusasbeingthemostspectaculareverseeninMelbourne

andtohavecostanestimatedamountoftwohundredthousandpounds($400,000).Furphybrandwatercartswereusedbyreghtersastherewasnoreticulatedwateratthetime.

Effortstoextinguishthereprovedtobefruitless.

Followingthere,GeorgesrelocatedtotheStoreontheHillinCollinsStreetbetweenRussell

and Swanston Streets. The Georges Store became rather exclusive and generally catered

forthemoreafuentmembersof Melbournessocietyuntilitclosedin1995.

Atthetimeof the1889re,therebrigadeswereownedbyvariousinsurancecompanies.

AsaresultoftheGeorgesre,theMFBMetropolitanFireBrigadeswascreated.

Artists impression as appeared in the Argus Newspaper

onSaturday14September1889.Thisdepictedthespectacularre.

FromElizabethStreetlookingeastpriortothe1889re.Notethesignattopof

theoriginalBriscoesBuildingwiththewordingGeorgeandGeorges

Frontpageof theArgusNewspaperwithdetailsof thespectacularreinthebuildingthatprecededTheBlockArcadeonCollinsStreet

THE FIRE


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Shortlyafterthere,theCityProperty&CoPtyLtd.commissionedthethenMelbourneArchitectsTwentyman&Askew to design a shopping arcade for the site with a separate wing connecting it with Elizabeth Street.

The brief was to replicate the Galleria Vittorio in Milan. David Askew had travelled extensively overseas and was able

to adapt ideas from the Galleria Vittorio, including clever use of natural light for The Block. David Askew was alsoable to recycle a large amount of the bluestone, which had been used in the construction of the Briscoe building.

In 2003, the City of Melbourne signed a Sister City agreement with the City of Milan. This resulted in a visit to

Melbourne by a delegation led by Mr Salvatore Carrubba, Commissioner for Culture, .Museums and International

RelationsCityofMilan.Duringtherstweekof March2004,MrCarrubbavisitedTheBlockArcadetolauncha

photographicexhibitionofLeonardoDaVincisLastSupper.Itwasacknowledgedatthelaunchthat

The Block Arcade had been modelled on the Galleria Vittorio, Milan.

Today,theBlockArcadehouses29exceptionalretailersatstreetandlowergroundlevel.Above,therearefouroors

of commercial tenants, enjoying a mid-city, stylish location with entrances from Collins and Elizabeth Streets.

FollowingtheintroductionofstringentCityof Melbournereregulationintheearly1980s,thethenownersof

The Block decided to sell the property rather than face the costs of bringing the building up tothenewreregulationstandards.

Asaresult,TimeCorporationpurchasedthecomplexandspentalmost$15milliononacompleterefurbishment

includingmeetingthenewreregulations.Thisworkwasdonetoconformwiththerequirements

of the National Trust and Heritage Victoria.

In 1991 Westpac became mortgagee in possession and subsequently sold the complex at public auction in 1993.

The purchasers were a Queensland based Melbourne QC and his wife John and Alison Kearney.

The Kearneys are life members of the National Trust and have had a lifetime admiration of the

HeritageBuildingsofMelbourne.

The 1993 acquisition of The Block resulted in the property being placed in caring hands.

Elizabeth Street exterior showing original awningand prior to the construction of the Beehive Building to the right

The Collins Street entry of The Block Arcade,showingBlockCourttotheleftandtheAllans(Music)Buildingtotheright

THE BLOCK - MODELLED ON GALLERIA VITTORIO


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This scene shows the southern wall of the Elizabeth Street wing of The Block Arcade

with Singer & Kodak sign writing. In the foreground note the lone dog walking in opposite direction to the pedestrians

The Block was the meeting place of Melbourne with a reputation as the mostpopular place to be seen and shop.

Oneenthusiasticvisitorcommentedthatinthisstreetyouwouldseewomentoequalanyintheworld

fortheirphysicalbeauty,statureandgraceof carriage,theyalllookedlikegoddessesastheywalkalong.

They were our forebears and pioneers of the wonderful city of Melbourne.

TheHopetounTeaRoomswerenamedafterLadyHopetoun,wifeof LordHopetoun,Victoriasrst

governor.Thetearoomsweretheplaceforyoungladies,dressedintheirnery,tocometoeat.These

young ladies wore the latest fashion in hats and gloves and were usually accompanied by their mothers or

grandmothers.

Thepropertynexttothearcadeat(288-292CollinsStreet)wasoccupiedbytheAthenaeumClub,an

exclusive mens club. In 1929 the club was relocated to the top end of Collins Street.

TheCityPropertyCompanypurchasedthissitealongsidethearcadeandmodiedthegroundoor

in an Art Decor style and renamed it Block Court.

A VIEW OF ELIZABETH STREET


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Photo from South-East corner or Collins and Elizabeth Streetslooking back toward Block Court and The Block Arcade

Wide shot of Collins Street looking west from Swanston Street. This was pre 1930 and

shows the building on the right that preceded the Manchester Unity Building around 1933.

In 1886, cable cars were introduced to the CBD and surrounding suburbs.

Shown here are the tracks being laid looking west from Swanston Street

VIEWS OF COLLINS STREET


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This close up shows a small garden fountain

located centrally under The Dome.NowtheagshipMelbourneoutletof therenownedHaigsChocolates,thisisoneof threeshopsunderTheDome

Notice the spectacular Block Arcade Mirror whichcarries the date 1891 at the top of the oval shape.

This mirror has been in the arcade since the

opening in 1892.

Looking into the Collins

Street wing towards Haighs

Chocolates with Hopetoun TeaRooms on the right.

CLASSIFICATION CITATION

The Block Arcade has many features including skylightsover both wings, a large number of stained glass windows

andamarvellousmosaicoor.Theoorisakeypartofthe

NationalTrustclassicationof TheBlock.

Aparticularlyneshoppingarcadeof 1890-93,designed

by Twentyman & Askew in a Boom version of the French

Renaissance style, with handsome plate glass shop windows,

an octagon at the junction on the two arms, mosaic tiledoors,aglassroof of whichsomesheetssurvivewiththeir

original decoration, cast-iron roof principals with elegant

openwork spandrels, and three and four storey buildings

facing onto Elizabeth and Collins Streets, in all a monument to

thenancialboomandtoB.J.Fink,JMcAlisterHowdenand

the other members of the City Property Company,

for whom it was built.

Construction was achieved quickly and in February 1892

the Collins Street wing of The Block Arcade opened.

The Elizabeth Street wing was opened in October 1893.

Thetotalcostwas46,233pounds($92,466).

Interestingly, the architects were able to integrate the basement

of Georges/Briscoes into their building of The Block.

So, today the basement of The Block actually dates back to

the 1856 building of Briscoes Bulk Grain Store.

At the time of opening in 1892, the Arcade boasted 15

milliners, three lace shops, a photographer, plus the Hopetoun

Tea Rooms. The Hopetoun still trades today.


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Inside the Elizabeth Street wing, looking towards The Dome and showing the 1927 staircase

tothelowergroundoorwhichwasrsttenantedbytheWintergardenTeaRoomsandnowbytheofcesand auction rooms of Downies Coins

This depicts the Elizabeth Street

wing, looking into the arcadetowards The Dome area.

The original shot is also prior

to 1927 and the construction ofthe staircase down to the Winter

Garden Tea Rooms which was the

rstlowergroundoortenant.

HOW THE BLOCK TOOK ITS NAME

Fergus Hume evocatively described doing the block in his The Mystery of a Hansom Cab,rstpublishedinMelbournein1886:It was Saturday morning and fashionable Melbourne was doing the block. Collins Street is to the Southern city what Bond

Street and the Row are to London, and the Boulevards to Paris Carriages were bowling smoothly along, their occupants

smiling and bowing as they recognized their friends on the side walk Portly merchants, forgetting Flinders Lane and incoming

ships, walked beside pretty daughters; and the representatives of swelldom were stalking along in their customary apparel of curly

brimmed hats, high collars and immaculate suits. Altogether it was a pleasant and animated scene

Theactof doing(orpromenading)theBlockwashowTheBlockArcadetookitsname.


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ThemosaicooratTheBlockisaclassicalVictoriandesignbyCravenDunnellPtyLtd.oftheUnitedKingdom,made

from tiles manufactured in Italy.

TheBlockstillholdsreservesuppliesof allcoloursexceptthedeepchocolate.Theoriginalvalueoftheoorwas600pounds($1,200).TheBlockisclassiedbytheNationalTrustandislistedontheVictorianHeritageRegister.

DuringtheSecondWorldWarthemosaicoorwascoveredwithFeltexcarpettoprotectitfrombeingdamagedbymilitary

footwear.Thisistheonlytimethistypeof protectionhasbeenusedforTheBlockoor.

THE BLOCK ARCADE FROM UNDER THE DOME


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Originallygaslightingwasusedtoilluminatetheupperoorsof thearcadebuildingswithelectricarclightsbeingused

in the arcade itself. This was one of the earliest known uses of electricity in a commercial application in the City of

Melbourne.Thelightsinthearcadetodayarefaithfulreproductionsof theoriginalttings.

Inthe1890smostofMelbourneswiderstreetswerebustling.ThemoreexclusiveBlockwasablazewithitscrowdof

colonial fashionables and celebrities passing the hours in a lounging gossiping manner. The City was still reasonably small

andnotonlyshoppersbutcivilservantsandbusinessmencongregatedtherebetweenthreeandveoclockeachafternoon

to discuss the events of the time. They had no other communication method as the telephone was in its infancy.


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The exterior of the Block Court Building, when occupied by the leading mens Athenaeum Club and the treatment given to the faced at the time of the 1988 refurbishment

The City Property Company owned the three buildings until 1986 at which time the Melbourne MetropolitanFireBrigadehadsurveyedallCBDbuildingstoensuretheyconformedwithrestandards.Unfortunately,

TheBlocksupperoorsdidnotconform,creatingproblemsfortheownerswhothendecidedtosell.

Time Corporation, a group of companies specialising in the restoration of historically important buildings,

purchased the complex. A four year restoration programme was implemented.

Thearcadesrefurbishmentwascompletedprogressivelyfrom1988withtheupperoorsupgradecompletedin

1990. This work was in the hands of renowned Melbourne architects, Buchans, with Heritage Victoria and the

NationalTrustsettingthespecications.

During the refurbishment modern facilities have been incorporated into the historic building, to provide shoppers

with the comfort and sophistication of a contemporary shopping arcade with smart fashion boutiques, gift shops,

jewellers, eateries and specialty shops. The 1890s atmosphere of Marvellous Melbourne remains.

BLOCK COURT BUILDING


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AbusySaturdayinCollinsStreetlookingeastaround1905:

The distinctive Kodak sign appears at the top left

Collins Street looking west towards Elizabeth Street, around 1905.The Singer signage can be seen at the top of shop window..

Historic view of Collins Street looking west in the very early 1900s. Note The Block Court and The Block

Arcade buildings on the extreme right of frame. The Kodak name can also be seen.

DOING THE BLOCK

Financier Benjamin Fink had purchased thebuilding on the site on the corner of Collins

and Elizabeth Streets only three months

beforearesweptthroughthebuildingon

Friday September 13, 1889.

The site was at that time home to George

& Georges Drapers. Georges went on to

secure a long-lasting reputation as an exclusive

department store at 162-168 Collins Street.

Fink commissioned the architect David C.

Askew to construct an arcade on the site.

Askew based the design of the L-shaped arcade

on Milans Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele.

The arcade was built on the bluestone

foundationsthatsurvivedthere.

The Collins Street section was completed in

1892 and the Elizabeth Street section in 1893.

In 1907, scenic artist Phillip Goatcher

decorated the ceiling with a spectacular mural

for the Singer Sewing Machine Company

their shop was on the east corner of the

Collins Street entry to the arcade. The other

shop facing Collins Street, which housed the

rstKodakshopinMelbourne,containsanelaborate pressed metal ceiling. Both feature

ceilings remain in place today.

The arcades name refers to the high society

habit of the day, of perambulating the block

formed by Collins, Elizabeth, Swanston and

Little Collins Streets. Those who frequented

the popular Block Arcade, its shops and tea

houses were often recorded by caricaturists in

the social pages of the citys newspapers.

The Block Arcade retains the Victorianelegance to this day. Benjamin Fink, whose

apparent wealth vanished with the collapse

of thelandboominthe1890sedtoLondon

with his children in 1892, as the Collins Street

section of the Block Arcade was completed.

Fink was insolvent but his wife was the sudden

owner of much land in the western suburbs.

She remained alone in Melbourne.


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MCM Studio Shirts, Ties and Accessories for men and women.

Located under The Dome

THE NEW WAY OF SHOPPING

In 19th century Melbourne, shoppersockedtoanewshoppingphenomenon

the arcade. Modelled on those developed in

great European cities such as Milan, Paris and

London, arcades were clean and modern, andprotected the shopper from the heat, dust, rain

and mud of the city streets.

Their architectural design facilitated new ways

to display and purchase fancy goods. At this

time, changes in manufacturing and higher

wages made luxury more accessible than ever.

The modern shopping arcade enabled the

buyer to indulge in the pleasures of looking,

touching and contemplating goods without any

pressure to make a purchase. Browsing became

an accepted and expected pastime, and evolved

into new leisure behaviour. A commodity that

was no longer just a necessity but a thing of

beauty, something to ponder and desire.

Flagship city outlet for Very Very retailing young fashionand located in the Collins Street wing.

Anna Fiori womens fashion shoes. This family owned shoe business is acompany store located in the CBD with a strong shopper following


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Hunt Leather stocks a range of top international label leather based

products and has been at The Block Arcade for over 30 years

Dafel Dolls & Bears was established by Miss Ada Schmit over 70 years ago.Theshopnamewasacombinationof herrstnameADA,followedbythe

wordFELTandthendeletingtherstandlastletterstoproduceDAFEL.

InternationalbrandRoyalSelangoroperatesaagshipcompanystoreat the Elizabeth Street entry to The Block Arcade.

City shoppers can select from a full range of Royal Selangor products.

BUILT AS TWO SEPARATE WINGS

The Block Arcade was modelled on MilanoGalleria Vittorio Emmanuel arcade in Italy,

anddesignedbyDavidAskewof therm

Twentyman and Askew. No expense was

spared on the lavish interior decoration,vaulted ceilings, wrought iron, plaster

ornament and stained glass the mosaic

oortileswereimportedfromItaly,andat

the time this was the largest area of mosaics laid

down in Australia. The Collins Street Arcade

opened in February 1892, and that year the

City Property Investment Company purchased

the Elizabeth Street site from Benjamin Fink

and John McAllister Howden, who were also

directors of the Property Company. Askew

was commissioned to design a linking arcade

and the builder for this wing was Waring &

Rowden. The Elizabeth Street wing

opened in October 1893.


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Orrefors Kosta Boda is located under The Dome in the shoporiginally occupied by The Hopetoun Tea Rooms.

Renown Melbourne coin and collectable trader Downies Coinsin shops 11 & 12 of the Elizabeth Street wing.

FIRST FOR THE BLOCK

The Singer Sewing Machine Companymoved into The Block Arcade in 1902, selling

machinesonthegroundoorandrunning

sewing classes in its basement. The theatrical

scenepainterPhilipGoatcher(1852-1931)wascommissioned by Singer to paint a mural on

itsceiling.Thismural(seepage19)depicting

references to new technologies and science

decorates the store today. The Block Arcade

housedtherstKodakShopinMelbourne.

WhentherstKodakcamerawaslaunched

in America in 1888, it was marketed with the

slogan,youpressthebutton,andwelldothe

rest.TheKodakcompanywasaninnovatorin

promoting photography to the general public.

The Block Arcade Kodak shop, in Melbourne,

sold photographic goods for amateurs and

professionals alike.

Wittners Womens Shoes have been trading in The Block Arcade

for over 50 years. Note the pressed metal ceiling.This was installed by Kodak over 100 years ago


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Anton Jewellers at Collins Street entry off Block Court Building Ground Floor display case for Linda Gorringe Couture.Linda designs and manufactures on the premises and has a large range

ofoff therackgowns

HOPETOUN TEA ROOMS

STILL OPEN TODAY

AMelbourne institution, the Hopetoun Tea Roomsin the Block Arcade were opened by the

Victorian Ladies Work Association in 1892.

The name was in honour of theAssociations founder Lady Hopetoun,

wife of the Lord Hopetoun,

VictorianGovernor(1889-1895).

ThemagnicentetchedmirrorintheTeaRooms,

hangs in pride of place on the back wall.

Hopetoun customers and visitors to the arcade

take it for granted. The 1891 date etched into the top of

theovalshapeconrmsthedateof manufacture.

Other historic photographs show that the mirror

has been part of the fabric of the building

since the opening of the Collins street wing.The Block conducts twice weekly guided tours throughout

the complex. The tour groups stand outside the

Hopetoun Tea Rooms to admire this unique

19th century feature.

The historic Hopetoun Tea Rooms has been trading at

The Block Arcade continuously since 1892.


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Go down stairs to the 1856 vaulted brick ceiling atmosphereof Basement Discs a specialist retailer with a particular musical niche.

Bob & Ann van der Toorren have been taking photographsat The Block Arcade for over 30 years

Australian by Design retails Australian made memorabilia

for the tourist market and general gift giving.

Skin Deep offers a full range of beauty treatments and products.

The shop has private treatment salon upstairs


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Phillip Goatcher, a well known theatrical scene painter of the day was commissioned to handpaint the ceiling of the Singer Sewing Shop, which is now the Chelsea Design Shop.

JazzModerneisthenameof thepatternusedontheArtDecorBlockCourtterrazzooor.

ThemosaictiledoorinTheBlockArcadeisaclassicalVictorianpatternandcostsixhundredpounds($1200)whenlaid.

MURALS, MOSAICS AND ART DECOR

Design and layoutCymacs Digital Colourwww.cymacs.com.au

Back CoverElizabeth Street photograph

by van der Toorren Block Arcade Studios


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ELIZABETH STREET ENTRANCE

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE BLOCK ARCADE

A Melbourne Icon on Collins and Elizabeth Streets

the block arcade.pdf

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