High Street (Thornbury) Precinct
732-848 and 827-927 HIGH STREET, THORNBURY, DAREBIN CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The High Street, Thornbury precinct comprises the properties at 732-848 & 825-927 High Street, Thornbury. Contributory places include the early to mid twentieth century shops and residences, which comprise the majority of buildings within the precinct except as specified below. The consistency of scale, form and detailing of the shops within the centre and the extent to which development in one main period is apparent are important characteristics.
Places of individual local significance, which have their own citations in this Study, are Collins Corner at No.774, the Drive-in garage at No.802, the shop row at 804-10, the former Regent Theatre at No.851-9, the former Anderson's Furniture Warehouse at No.885, and the shops and residences at No.844-46.
Non-original detailing such as the ground floor shop-fronts, cantilevered awnings and the following buildings are not significant:
Nos. 756-762, 788, 800, 812-14, 826-30 831A, 848 & 921
How is it significant?
The High Street, Thornbury precinct is of local historic significance to Darebin City.
Why is it significant?
The High Street, Thornbury precinct is historically significant as a representative example of an inter-war shopping strip, which served a regional role. It provides evidence of the suburban expansion of Thornbury during the 1920s development boom and how High Street was consolidated as one of the major shopping centres in the northern suburbs. As a representative example it demonstrates the strong associations between the development of commercial centres and public transport in the early to mid-twentieth century and how main centres serving a regional catchment were established along key public transport routes. (AHC criteria A.4, D.2)
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High Street (Thornbury) Precinct - Physical Description 1
This is acommercial precinct, which comprises a mix of single and double storey rendered brick shops and residences predominantly dating from the first four decades of the twentieth century. The shops have intact stepped or curved parapets with brick and render detailing that is typical of the era. The buildings are generally in good condition and the facades above the awnings are mostly very intact, however, the ground front street elevations of most shops been altered or replaced. Shops that retain original or early shopfronts include Nos.754 & 754A, 776 and 881. Some the balconies to the two storey shops have been enclosed.
The precinct as a whole has a relatively high degree of intactness to the key phase of development during the inter-war period. Notable buildings within the centre are:
- 'Collins Corner' at No.774, which is a two-storey Moderne brick commercial/retail building on the northeast corner of Collins Street. On the building's ground floor it has elements of the original shopfronts including the entry doors and a curved cantilevered awning. The upper level has metal frame windows with horizontal banding set in a liver brick band that extends across the upper level of both facades. A hood projects above these upper level windows and there is signage that reads Collins Corner. The parapet of the building is relatively plain except for a liver brick capping.
-The 'drive-in' service station at No.802. The ground floor elevation of the service station is very intact and retains early metal-framed windows (some with early painted advertising for 'BF Goodrich') and other detailing including tiling (now painted) and part of the original pressed metal underside of the awning survives on the Pender Street elevation. The rear of the garage containing the motor workshop is single-storey and extends along the Pender Street boundary. The upper level of the building has the ubiquitous stepped parapet commonly seen on early twentieth century buildings in High Street. In the centre bay there is a large arched window, which has been altered. The brickwork on the building has been painted.
-The group of four two-storey brick shops at Nos.804-10 designed in a restrained Free Classical-style. The lower levels have new shopfronts of various configurations. The window openings of the upper levels have been altered unsympathetically on numbers 804 and 806. There are cement mouldings and bandings on the upper level facades. Some remnants of the urns that were fitted to the top of the parapet are extant.
-A two-storey, Inter-war brick shop at No.846 designed in a Free Classical-style. The facade of the first floor has Classically-inspired rendered elements including pilasters that have Ionic-inspired capitals, and a relatively deep cornice. The facade is divided into three bays. The central bay has a group of three windows, but one has had its multi-paned sashes removed and a board, or similar, has been fitted. Flanking this central bay are bays that have pairs of multi-paned double-hung sash windows, which are surrounded by face brickwork with a rendered band
-The former Regent Theatre at No.859-61, which has a three-storey face brick and rendered facade divided into 3 bays separated by rusticated pillars, with an ancillary two-storey section to the north. The centre bay has a large rusticated arch containing a bas relief of a chariot and horses. Windows at first floor level are casements with leadlighted highlights. The roof is concealed behind a plain rendered parapet which is stepped at the centre. None of the original fabric at ground floor level survives, and the original face brickwork has been painted.
-The former Anderson's Furniture Warehouse at No.885, which is a rendered brick two storey inter-war commercial building directly opposite Pender Street. The facade of the first floor is relatively intact. It is divided into three bays. The central bay has large windows with multi-paned glazing at their heads. This central bay is flanked by end bays that project slightly, and each contains a similar window in terms of scale, proportion and embellishment. The end bays are formed by Classical-inspired pilasters. A cornice extends across the facade above the windows and a stepped parapet forms the top of the building.
Heritage Study and Grading
Darebin - Darebin Heritage Study
Author: Context P/L
Year: 2011
Grading: Local
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PRESTON TRAMWAY WORKSHOPSVictorian Heritage Register H2031
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JUNCTION HOTELVictorian Heritage Inventory
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PENDERS PARKVictorian Heritage Inventory
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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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10 Down StreetYarra City
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