Flinders Street Station to Undergo Extensive Restoration Project

[Shangas]

McLinky & Fries

The premier of Victoria has announced a plan to restore Melbourne's historic (opened 1910) Flinders Street Station.

Although today it's just a railway station, in the old days, this magnificent structure boasted offices, a daycare center and even a formal ballroom.

This has been attempted before and the plans were shelved.

Let's see what happens this time.

 

[lolly_loisides]

Interesting Shangas, thanks for the link.

 

[swinggal]

There is a huge ballroom on the top floor that I have seen photos of. I'd like the see the building restored, not 'developed' with new crappy architecture. Why can't they just spend money on restoration any more

 

[LordBest]

How perverse, the local council in my city of 80,000 can apparently borrow $40m to build council office blocks when half the office space in the city is empty, but the Victorian State government can't find $20m to restore one of Melbourne iconic buildings?

 

[Shangas]

My lord, I'd like, but find it hard, to be optimistic.

Flinders Street Station, for all it's iconic status and fame and beautiful architecture, has been neglected by the government for decades.

In the 1980s, the clocks above the front staircase were removed and replaced with electronic digital clocks.

Melbournians got so pissed off that within a DAY, the original 1910 clocks were replaced at once.

But the rest of the building is just falling apart.

If the government actually bothered to restore (RESTORE, not renovate/develop/'improve' etc) the building, Flinders Street Station could be amazing again.

I mean, could you imagine saying to your kids...

"See that building, son? Twenty years ago, your mother and I got married in the big, swanky ballroom right at the very top..."

But that ballroom hasn't had a party in it for decades. Not for...about 50 years I think.

It's a real shame.

In 2008, there were plans to restore Flinders Street Station, but the plans never came to fruition.

I'm very skeptical at the moment. Three years later, let's see if they can make good on their promise...again.

 

[tuppence]

It's certainly changed a lot since I was a kid, not for the better either.

 

[Shangas]

If they don't restore the station buildings soon, then before long, we're going to see news headlines that say:

"ICONIC MELBOURNE LANDMARK SLATED FOR DEMOLITION"
'Flinders Street Station too diplapidated', says premier.

The station's been crumbling for years.

The Flinders Station Ballroom as it appeared when the station opened in 1910:

This was the Flinders Station ballroom in 2006:

The station clocktower:

The tower from street-level:

The station as it appeared ca. 1953, for the coronation celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II:

The entrance-hall with the famous row of clocks below the arch:

The Station through the years:

[video=youtube;ok13hyZMsME]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok13hyZMsME[/video]

At 1:21 you might spot Melbourne's most famous (and sadly today, only) hat shop: City Hatters.

 

[dhermann1]

Wow, what a fabulous place. It should be Melbourne's answer to Grand Central Terminal in New York. Grand Central turned out to be a smashingly successful restoration and redevelopment project.

 

[Talbot]

Fingers crossed for some sensitive consideration by developers.

 

[Shangas]

As Fats Waller said:

"I've got my fingers crossed,
Not 'cause I'm superstitious,
I just think it's too good to be true..."

Wow, what a fabulous place. It should be Melbourne's answer to Grand Central Terminal in New York. Grand Central turned out to be a smashingly successful restoration and redevelopment project.

Thanks DHermann, but it's hard to be optimistic. The station has been neglected by governments for decades, despite it's iconic status. I don't hold very great hopes for a restoration. It would be awesome if it actually happened...but I remain doubtful.

 

[Mr Vim]

It's a beautiful station and one can only hope for the best. I wish ballrooms were more prominent here in Juneau, the last one we had was converted into several meeting rooms in the 1980s... *sigh*

 

[Connery]

Shangas this is fascinating, thank you very much.

 

[Mrs Chaddsley_Corbett]

Fremantle Railway station is currently being restored

http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Its-full-steam-ahead/7600826/