The residence at 115 Spensley Street is a Victorian two storey brick corner shop and residence. It has bi-chrome brickwork with red brick walls and cream brick quoins to the doors and windows. The corner section of the ground floor has shopfront windows and a corner double door entry. The upper windows have been replaced with aluminium windows but the openings remain the same size. The property is contributory in HO316 Clifton Hill Heritage Overlay Precinct.
Sometime in the late twentieth century, the sash windows on the first floor of the building were replaced with aluminium windows. The funding application was to replace the five aluminium windows on the upper level, with timber framed double hung sash windows, as would have been originally and to match the two double hung timber sash windows that are extant on the first floor. The original openings and bluestone sills had been retained to these altered windows therefore the new windows could fit within the original openings without any substantial brick works.
In August 2023 the VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $10,000 towards the aluminium window replacement with timber sash windows.
The replacement of these aluminium windows with timber sash windows has returned the building to an earlier appearance and greatly improves the appearance of the historic building in the streetscape, especially given it is built up to the footpath and very prominent in the streetscape.
This is one in a row of 4 two-storey Victorian terraces including a shop on the corner. The row of matching terraces was built in 1890 and feature a pediment to the parapet with decorative brackets, arcaded verandahs to the ground floor and polychrome brickwork. The buildings were designed by James Clarke and built by Donald McDonald. The property is contributory in the Carlton North Precinct HO326
The proposed work for funding involved paint removal to the ground floor under verandah elevation and re-pointing of the ground floor facade. There was evidence that the brickwork was originally tuckpointed and the aim was to match the adjacent property to the left where tuckpointing had already been reinstated.
In April 2021, the VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $7,500 towards the paint removal and re-pointing.
The paint removal and tuckpointing works have greatly improved the contribution this terrace makes to the row of terraces and enhances its appearance in the streetscape.
Lyttleton was built in 1890 by Arthur Kirkbridge for his own occupation. It is a single storey Victorian terrace with very elaborate plasterwork both inside and out. The original parapet to this residence is particularly elaborate and unusual. The top of the pediment was apparently removed in the 1960’s or 1970’s when it became unstable due to rust in the supporting lintels. The residence was featured in a 1970s This residence is individually listed it the Heritage Overlay HO329.
The proposed works for funding involved reinstatement of the decoration and pediment to the top of the parapet. There were historical photographs provided with the application that ensured the Committee that the reconstruction could be undertaken accurately.
The reinstatement works used traditional plastering methods, however the replacement lintel is stainless steel rather than wrought iron as was the original. This is common practice for render repairs as the stainless steel acts the same as the iron, will not be visible and is not subject to rust like the iron, which would have been a major cause of the previous parapet deterioration and failure.
In August 2021 the VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $12,000 reinstatement of the top parapet decoration and pediment.
Artisan Restorations, with Simon and David Nygaard undertook the reconstruction work, which was completed in February 2023.
The reconstruction work returns this significant terrace to its original glory and greatly improves its contribution to the heritage streetscape. The methodology of work has also ensured that the parapet is protected into the future.
This is one of a row of single storey attached terrace houses with varying detailing. This terrace is substantially intact and is single fronted with polychrome brickwork in a zig-zag pattern.
The application for funding was to reinstate a Victorian style fence to the front of the property. The existing fence dated from the 1960s and was in poor condition and detracting from the appearance of this property as viewed from the street. The design of the replacement fence was based on surviving original fences to similar buildings in the row of terraces and was therefore considered reinstatement of an original feature.
In November 2020, the VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $5,000 towards the reinstatement of a Victorian iron palisade fence. The reinstatement of the original fence, completed in 2021, greatly improves the contribution this property makes to the heritage streetscape and returns an important part of the property to its earlier appearance.
This is the end house in a row of five Victorian style brick terrace houses constructed in 1887. The row is substantially intact and demonstrating key features of the Victorian style including bi-chrome brickwork, timber sash windows, hipped roofs, bracketed eaves and rendered chimneys. The funding application for the end terrace was for removal of previous bad mortar repairs and re-pointing of the façade. The previous repairs were unsightly and undertaken with cement rich mortar and much of the original tuckpointing had also been lost.
In 2021 the VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $5,000 towards mortar repairs and re-tuckpointing the façade. The works were completed in 2022 and greatly improve the appearance of the façade in the streetscape and ensure that the brickwork is protected into the future.
688 Drummond St, Carlton North
This is one of four single storey terraces constructed between 1905 and 1908. The single fronted Federation terrace has render banding to the façade and a decorative render parapet. The building also features a pair of tall narrow windows and a verandah across the front with a cast iron frieze.
There were remnants of the original black tuckpointing however this was in a visibly deteriorated state with some sections of tuckpointing missing. The VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $5,000 towards the cost of re-pointing the front façade, side walls and brick fence pillars.
The tuckpointing has greatly improved the appearance of the building in the streetscape.
472 Rae Street, Fitzroy North
This is an elegant double fronted brick Edwardian house. The building is substantially intact and demonstrates interesting Edwardian features such as the gable roofed projecting wing with bay window and gable with half timbering and brackets. The front verandah has turned timber posts and an unusual deep timber frieze. The building is contributory in the North Fitzroy Precinct HO327. The tall brick fence substantially detracted from the appearance of the property in the streetscape.
In February 2016, the VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $12,000 towards the cost of fence replacement, roof replacement in corrugated galvanised iron and mortar and tuckpointing.
The works have transformed the street appearance of this property and returned it to its former glory. The replacement of the fence with a permeable fence more sympathetic to the style of the dwelling demonstrates the positive impact an appropriate fence can make on the streetscape views in a Heritage Overlay Precinct. Payment of the grant can now be made in accordance with the agreement between the applicant and VHRF.
16 Gordon Street, Clifton Hill
This residence is a detached single storey terrace. It is Italianate in style with a decorative parapet with a pediment. The front façade was rendered at some later date, but its adjacent pair indicated that it originally had bichrome face brickwork to the front.
The VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $4,000 towards tuckpointing.
The render removal and tuckpointing has transformed the streetscape appearance of the building and it now matches its original pair once again.
The PELACO Sign was erected in 1939 on top of the PELACO Company’s factory in Goodwood St, Richmond. The sign, a large double sided sky sign with individual box letters illuminated in neon, was erected by the Claude Neon Company. The sign is historically significant for its associations with PELACO, the best known shirt manufacturer in Australia. The PELACO sign is socially important with its size and prominence symbolising the dominant role played by the PELACO Company in Australia as a shirt manufacturer. The sign also symbolises the social and economic importance of Richmond as an industrial suburb and its importance in the heartland of Victoria’s clothing and textile industry. The sign is included on the Victorian Heritage Register H1149 and individually listed in the Heritage Overlay HO259.
In principal support of $50,000 was given towards the fabrication and supply of new letters by the VHRF Committee in August 2011. The offer was subject to the completion of stabilisation and structural works to the supporting frame. In April 2015, the project manager supplied confirmation that the framing had been stabilised and that Heritage Victoria was satisfied with the preliminary work and supported the next step to install the lettering. As a result the project was taken to the May 2015 VHRF Committee meeting and the committee agreed to offer a grant of $50,000 towards reinstatement of the lettering. The whole project cost in the order of $383,000. The Ballarat company Findlay Engineering undertook the frame and letter reconstruction as well as the re-installation. The lettering was reinstalled on the building 25 June 2016 and the VHRF team were there to see it happen.
The works have reinstated an iconic feature of the Richmond skyline in accordance with the Heritage Victoria permit.
141 – 145 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
In March 2014, the VHRF Committee of Management agreed to offer a grant of $32,000 towards reconstruction of the c.1899 shop front configuration based on historical evidence. A historical image (found at the State Library of Victoria) of the building when it was operating as Pearce’s Great Drapery Warehouse was used as the basis for the reinstatement. Trethowan Architects documented and managed the project. Ausbuild Constructions were the building contractors for the work.
The ground floor façade reconstruction has transformed the appearance of the building, returns it to an earlier appearance and considerably enhances the historic streetscape.
