247-253 Johnston Street
247-253 JOHNSTON STREET ABBOTSFORD AND 247-253 JOHNSTON STREET ABBOTSFORD, YARRA CITY
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
St Crispin House, at 247-253 Johnston Street, Abbotsford, dates from 1923 and is a large two storey red brick warehouse/commercial building with classical influences. The main front (north) component is substantially externally intact, and is rectangular in plan form with a transverse hipped roof. The facade is divided into bays by rusticated brick pilasters (piers), with horizontal brick bands and capitals; three of the bays have entries. The facade also has cement rendered dressings, rounded string courses and a large entablature and parapet with a gabled signage panel. Windows have notched and chamfered mullions. To the rear are two hipped roof wings, with no visibility from Johnston Street.
How is it significant?
St Crispin House, at 247-253 Johnston Street, Abbotsford, is of local historical and aesthetic/architectural significance.
Why is it significant?
St Crispin House is of local historical significance. The building was constructed in 1923 and was originally occupied by two separate tenancies, one of which - the Grimson Shoe Machinery Company - is assumed to have been responsible for the building name, as St Crispin is referred to as the patron saint of shoemakers. Other, including later, shoe-related operations in the building included Standard Engineering Company Ltd, boot machinery manufacturers; and Shoe Fabrics Pty Ltd. The building is also demonstrative of the wider history of shoemaking and related operations in Abbotsford, which was historically a focus for this type of manufacturing.
St Crispin House is also of local aesthetic/architectural significance. The main front component to Johnston Street is substantially externally intact, with the facade being an example of the stripped and stylized classicist architecture seen in some commercial and institutional buildings in Melbourne following World War One. Ornate details include the quasi capitals of the rusticated pilasters, the thick rounded string courses, and the notched and chamfered mullions to the windows. The symmetrical placement of the pilasters across the facade, including framing the entrances, is skillfully done. The high parapet with gabled signage panel also enhances the prominence of the building, which has a strong presence to Johnston Street.
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247-253 Johnston Street - Physical Description 1
Titled St Crispin House and dated 1923 on its parapet panel, this is a large two storey red brick warehouse/commercial building with classical influences in the facade design. The main front component to Johnston Street is substantially externally intact, and is rectangular in plan form with a transverse hipped roof clad in (recent) galvanized corrugated steel. To the rear of the front component, the building extends with two hipped roof wings orientated north-south. These wings were not inspected and no detail is provided here.
The red brick north facade to Johnston Street is divided by rusticated brick pilasters (piers), with horizontal brick bands and capitals, including two central pairs of pilasters and one at each of the west and east ends. The facade has cement rendered dressings, rounded string courses and a large entablature and parapet with a gabled signage panel. There are shops at ground level, with notched and chamfered mullions and steel glazing bars; the central window has been replaced with plate glass. On the upper level, the windows are double-hung sash-paned windows set in groups of three, and one each between the central pilaster pairs. They also have chamfered mullions. The upper level windows appear to be original. At ground floor level there are three entry bays, albeit with non-original doors. To the rear of the property, there is a concreted car parking area which is associated with the properties at 36 and 40 Stafford Street.
Heritage Study and Grading
Yarra - Heritage Gap Study
Author: Graeme Butler & Associates
Year: 2007
Grading: LocalYarra - City of Yarra Heritage Gaps Study 2012 (Heritage Gaps Amendment two)
Author: Lovell Chen
Year: 2012
Grading: Local
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FORMER CONVENT OF THE GOOD SHEPHERDVictorian Heritage Register H0951
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DIGHTS MILL SITEVictorian Heritage Register H1522
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COLLINGWOOD TOWN HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0140
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