COMMONWEALTH BANK
374-76 HIGH STREET, PRESTON, DAREBIN CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The Commonwealth Bank at 374-6 High Street, Preston, constructed by 1940 is significant. It is a two storey rendered brick building in the Moderne style typical of the buildings erected by the Commonwealth Bank in the inter-war and immediate post-war period.
Later alterations and additions, including the awning and the autoteller, are not significant.
How is it significant?
The Commonwealth Bank at 374-6 High Street, Preston is of local historic and architectural significance to Darebin City.
Historically, it is significant as evidence of the expansion of the Commonwealth Bank during the late inter-war period, just prior to the cessation in branch building caused by the outbreak of World War Two and is one of an increasingly small number of the branches in Victoria constructed prior to 1950 that are still used by the Bank. It provides evidence of the continuing development of Preston as a city during the inter-war period after the interruption caused by the Great Depression. (AHC criteria A.4, B.2, D.2, H.1)
Architecturally, the Commonwealth Bank at 374-6 High Street, Preston is significant as a good example of a late inter-war bank in the Moderne style. (AHC criteria D.2)
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COMMONWEALTH BANK - Physical Description 1
This is a two-storey rendered brick Moderne branch of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, situated on the southwest corner of High and Roseberry Streets. With the former Preston Fire Brigade station opposite and the Preston Police Station and Preston Magistrates' Court in Roseberry Street, and the Preston Post Office and Darebin Town Hall in High Street, it forms a precinct of Commonwealth, State and local government buildings.
The building is characteristic in composition, stylistically, and in its use of materials, to suburban and country branches built by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia during the Inter-war period. The west (High Street) elevation and north (Roseberry Street) elevation have a plain rendered brick parapet with a slightly projecting cornice. The walls below are rendered brick, with subtle horizontal bands, and sit upon a brick base. The west elevation is symmetrically composed with a central entrance, which has had its original door(s) removed. The symmetry of the lower level has been diminished by the insertion of an automatic teller machine in one of the windows that flanked this central entrance. The fenestration that remains on the ground floor of the west elevation is an original double-hung sash window with horizontal glazing bars.
An unsympathetic cantilevered awning projects from the west elevation of the building above the ground floor. The upper level of the west elevation has at its centre a row of double-hung sash windows, slightly recessed and separated by brick pilasters, below a projecting hood. These windows have horizontal glazing bars, as do the double-hung sash windows that flank this central bay of windows. Above the hood is signage with the words 'Commonwealth Bank' and the institutions emblem.
The north elevation of the bank is relatively plain, with bays of double-hung sash windows at regular intervals. These windows retain their horizontal glazing bars. There is a pair of windows, of similar detailing, to the east of this facade. One window on the ground floor, closest to High Street, has been obliterated by the insertion of two automatic teller machines into the window opening and the adjacent wall. Above these is an unsympathetic metal frame canopy. At the east end of the facade is a sympathetic single-storey addition, with similar detailing to the adjacent bank.
Heritage Study and Grading
Darebin - Darebin Heritage Study
Author: Context P/L
Year: 2011
Grading: Local
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