Macrow's Furniture Arcade, former
85 Ryrie Street, GEELONG VIC 3220 - Property No 217558
Geelong Commercial Heritage Area
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Statement of Significance
B Listed - Regional Significance
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Architecturally, it is Geelong's City's best Edwardian Freestyle commercial design, it possesses the city's first cantilever verandah also it is a major element in the important Ryrie Street commercial streetscape.
Historically, it is associated with the prolific Geelong architects Tombs & Durran and the first owner, estate agent Frances Leary.
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Macrow's Furniture Arcade, former - Physical Description 1
Belying and reconstruction theory, the building is a highly representative if individual expression of the Edwardian era. Following the Edwardian Freestyle, the design is parapeted, brick and two-storeys with the major focus at the corner, in the form of a crown-like bayed parapet and surmounting dome. On either elevation the bowed oriel windows provide plasticity to the already highly modelled form. The parapet cut-outs, and onion-like cappings to the corner parapet piers are distinctive elements as is the high Mansard-like roof line which houses vents and provides a backdrop for the sculpted parapet forms below it. Some cresting survives on the ridge.
Underneath, the cantilever verandah shows its wrought-iron/steel framing and the piers which divide the altered shopfronts survive.
As an Edwardian Freestyle commercial design, this building has few equals in Geelong City, the 16 Ryrie Street renovation being similarly innovative. Other comparisons include the altered 43-5 Ryrie Street.
Heritage Study and Grading
Greater Geelong - Geelong Region Historic Buildings and Objects Study
Author: Allan Willingham
Year: 1986
Grading: BGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volumes 2-5
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1991
Grading: BGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study Volume 1
Author: Graeme Butler
Year: 1993
Grading: BGreater Geelong - Geelong City Urban Conservation Study, Volume 4(a)
Author: Helen Lardner
Year: 1995
Grading: B
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FORMER GEELONG WOOL EXCHANGEVictorian Heritage Register H0622
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FORMER SCOTTISH CHIEFS HOTELVictorian Heritage Register H0662
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GEELONG TOWN HALLVictorian Heritage Register H0184
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