We live on St Kilda Road, a proper boulevard. Every so often there is a push to rename it St Kilda Boulevard, but bugger orf. It is St Kilda Road.
It was once lined with grand Victorian houses, most of which have been demolished. A book about the demolition company, Whelan the Wrecker, mentioned a worker who was involved in the demolition of Illoura. He was very experienced at knocking down buildings of the Victorian era. He was very troubled about knocking down Illoura.
The old Illoura.
Illoura now, and there are vague plans to demolish this replacement building.
It was improved by a clever paint job.
So, many grand houses were knocked down for office towers to be built. However, we have almost gone the full circle with many of these office building being knocked down or adapted to build towers of apartments. Ours was one of the early ones. We live in the cheap house in the best street, now it seems.
The Victorian Racing Centre was once here where we now live. I do vaguely remember it. At the time there was no reason to take much notice.
Let me show you some of the recent projects and future ones.
Where this building is was once Kings Cross Plaza. There was a huge 711 and a large brick paved plaza and other shops for local people. See the place with the large decked area. You want live there? Expect to pay millions of dollars to buy it and thousands to rent each week.
More modest and seemingly built for rental, this apartment building was built behind Albert Park Manor, which was also converted to flats. When we moved here it was a boutique hotel. It was once a Catholic hospital, run by two sisters, at times a place where priests went to die.
This is Lucient. It was was built where there was once a three storey 60s brick building, where on the ground floor of the building one could get our hair cut, buy a greeting card and buy flowers. Fifteen years in one place, one does see changes.
This dominant building was a pale colour when we moved to The Highrise, quite shabby. It was repainted a dark grey that has faded over the years. No one could say it is lovely building. It is to be demolished, replaced with this below, which will actually sit better on the landscape and not be quite so tall.
This one is a bit puzzling. It was quite a modern office building of several storeys height on the corner of Bowen Crescent and Kingsway, but it has been goned.
More apartments, I suppose. The low rise building now revealed has a central court and most of the tenants are in medical fields. It has just been painted dark grey and looks much better.
Lastly, the ugly facade of the old police station can be glimpsed behind the wrap advertising the pretentiously named Mayfair. While it was going to be a building conversion to apartments, now I don't know.
Note the architect........designing from the grave? Zaha Hadid 31/10/50 - 31/03/16. What are developers like!