EMERALD HILL MECHANICS INSTITUTE AND HALL OF COMMERCE
170-172 CECIL STREET SOUTH MELBOURNE, PORT PHILLIP CITY
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Statement of Significance
The building at 170-172 Cecil Street, south Melbourne was built in 1857 as the Emerald Hill Mechanics Institute and designed by architects Knight & Kerr, the designers of Victoria?s Parliament House. In 1884 the council commissioned local architect, Frederick de Garis, to design a new facade for the Cecil Street frontage. This was constructed in that year and in 1887 the council opened a free reading room in the building.
The two-storey building is constructed of bluestone with a slate roof and brick quoining and window surrounds. The original design incorporated an entrance hall, an assembly room, a library and two classrooms. The assembly room has a fine timber truss roof which is, at present, hidden by a later suspended ceiling. The Cecil Street facade is a simple Renaissance Revival composition with a resticated lower floor, arch-headed windows, string course abracketed eaves and a simple parapet over. The design is enriched by the use of verniculated keystones, nailhead reveals to the upper windows and roundels alternated with the brackets to the eave. The bluestone construction of the original building is apparent from the side elevations.
The building is significant as an example of the work of the influential architects, Knight & Kerr, and as an important building in the history of South Melbourne through its links with the early development of local government in that area and the growth of the city. Further, that the building is of great significance in the development of Mechanics Institutes in the state of Victoria, and in particular as an important and early example.
[Historic Buildings Council]
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EMERALD HILL MECHANICS INSTITUTE AND HALL OF COMMERCE - History
Associated People:
EMERALD HILL MECHANICS INSTITUTE AND HALL OF COMMERCE - Permit Exemptions
General Exemptions:General exemptions apply to all places and objects included in the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR). General exemptions have been designed to allow everyday activities, maintenance and changes to your property, which don’t harm its cultural heritage significance, to proceed without the need to obtain approvals under the Heritage Act 2017.Places of worship: In some circumstances, you can alter a place of worship to accommodate religious practices without a permit, but you must notify the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria before you start the works or activities at least 20 business days before the works or activities are to commence.Subdivision/consolidation: Permit exemptions exist for some subdivisions and consolidations. If the subdivision or consolidation is in accordance with a planning permit granted under Part 4 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the application for the planning permit was referred to the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria as a determining referral authority, a permit is not required.Specific exemptions may also apply to your registered place or object. If applicable, these are listed below. Specific exemptions are tailored to the conservation and management needs of an individual registered place or object and set out works and activities that are exempt from the requirements of a permit. Specific exemptions prevail if they conflict with general exemptions. Find out more about heritage permit exemptions here.
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BILTMORE (ALBERT PARK)Victorian Heritage Register H0475
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ALBERT PARK RAILWAY STATION COMPLEXVictorian Heritage Register H1558
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ROCHESTER TERRACEVictorian Heritage Register H0813
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"1890"Yarra City
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"AMF Officers" ShedMoorabool Shire
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"AQUA PROFONDA" SIGN, FITZROY POOLVictorian Heritage Register H1687
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'Altona' Homestead (Formerly 'Laverton' Homestead) and Logan ReserveHobsons Bay City
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