loving the high COST of living local?
When plans for the 81m-tall S.T.K. Apartments at 3-5 St Kilda Road were signed off a decade ago by the then planning minister, locals knew that that would open St Kilda up to more high density, high-rise towers in the area and usher in a new era of difficult conversations between and among locals, developers and Council representatives.
The changing fortunes in St Kilda is most striking in its changing streetscape.
–The 26-story 306-unit S.T.K. Apartments were completed in 2016.
–The following year the Gatwick Hotel closed its doors, and soon followed the Oslo. Both had their makeovers via Channel 9’s The Block.
–The Esplanade Hotel, in the dark for three years would light up again, just in time for Christmas 2018 (Big shout-out to Sand Hill Road group).
–The Prince of Wales Hotel would close for major renovations in April 2019 and would reopen the following year in time for St Kilda Festival 2020.
–The Victorian Pride Centre, which was first proposed in 2016, would quietly open its doors in July 2021 (Big shout-out to architects James Brearley & Grant Amon).
Changes to the streetscape are picking up speed with newly completed projects, with more in the pipeline rising up soon. Four properties between the Esplanade and Grey St are now at varying stages of development. The transformation of St Kilda from the grimy 80’s to postmodernist gentry is truly in full swing.
As At August 2023:
In construction: One St Kilda Junction, 3-7 Wellington St
Recently refurbished: Milton House, 123 Fitzroy St
Project up in the air for now: Club Maison Hotel, 99-105 Fitzroy St
Demolition by early next year: Easystay Bayside Motel, 61-73 Fitzroy St
Extension currently in construction: St Kilda Beach Hotel, 33-37 Fitzroy St
Now in planning: 3-15 Fitzroy St
Newly occupied: St Moritz, 14-16 The Esplanade
[posted 1 july 2023. updated 29 august 2023]
fitzroy st facades
Wednesday morning, August 2, 2023
Local traders old and new on the south-east side of Fitzroy St. From the top: The Social Cafe, Buba Local Shuk, Topolino’s, Cone Heads, Three Elephants, Bunny, Tom’s Liquor, Grocery Bar, Danish Blue, Banff, Rye & Dough, Fitzrovia.
LOVE MY PLACE: REVIVING STRUGGLE ST
On 26 November 2019, the Fitzroy Street PLACEMAKING Reference Group unanimously endorsed the Fitzroy Street Place Plan. This document reflects the discussions, ideas, and aspirations of the Fitzroy Street community.
Love My Place was a City of Port Phillip initiative to reactivate and revitalise Fitzroy St, St Kilda and Clarendon St, South Melbourne.
WSKRA took part in the Placemaking Reference Group for Fitzroy Street. The group worked on supporting initiatives to encourage re-engagement with the street. An early initiative was Luminous, a display of public art depicting some of the street’s character & complexities. This ran from Oct 2019 to Feb 2020.
Find out more about placemaking here
In the dead of the night. Above: Facades and shopfronts on Fitzroy St, 1 May 2019. Below: Faces and circumstances of some people on our streets. (Photos Gerome Villarete)
THE VICTORIAN PRIDE CENTRE IS OUT THERE
IN 2016, AS ROSE AND YETTE started to say GOODBYE TO THEir remaining GUESTS, mostly long-term residents AT THE GATWICK–KNOWN TO MANY OF THE VULNERABLE AS THE “last chance hotel”–THE VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT ST KILDA WOULD BE THE SITE OF THE FUTURE VICTORIAN PRIDE CENTRE.
Where restaurant Monroe’s used to be now stands a striking new building on four levels, plus an expansive rooftop, that serves as homebase for LGBTQIA+ community organisations and mix-use hub for locals and visitors.
Since it’s low-key opening in July 2021 between lockdowns, Pride Centre has been adding much needed colour back to Fitzroy Street. As it celebrated its first birthday, Brearley Architects+Urbanists and Grant Amon Architects won the prestigious William Wardell Award for Public Architecture 2022.
“The Victorian Pride Centre is a government funded centre for the nation’s LGBTIQ+ communities – a new public building and the first of its type in Australia. It is a place to honour and celebrate the past, and to shape the future. Within the building are LGBTIQ+ supportive organisations as well as flexible spaces for hire, co-working spaces, theatrette, gallery, bookshop, cafe, and a rooftop.
Through the skilful positioning and manipulation of a striking architectural concept of horizontally nestled circular and elliptical arches the architects have created an exuberant identity for this important new public building.
Externally the Victorian Pride Centre is profoundly welcoming and exudes a sense of confidence and pride. The building with its tripartite arched composition and whimsical rooftop pavilions cleverly reminiscences upon St Kilda’s iconic institutions – St Kilda Sea Baths, Palais Theatre and Luna Park.
The architect’s concept echoes through the building enlivening and providing drama throughout the internal spaces. This is most evident in the central ellipsoid-shaped, light-filled atrium where the shell of this space is dramatically and unexpectedly sculptured. This is a wonderful place of gathering and a thoughtful symbol of the ongoing struggle towards equality, diversity, and inclusion.” –– William Wardell Award Jury Citation
(Photos Gerome Villarete)
View work-in-progress images of the Victorian Pride Centre on the BAU website
The Prince of Wales HOTEL: DIVE BAR NO MORE
The Prince Public Bar SCRUBS UP AND PUTS AN END TO ST KILDA’S MOST FAMOUS DIVE BAR
AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE PUBLIC BAR, ON ACLAND ST, THE WINE BAR APTLY APPROPRIATES THE CENTRAL CHARACTER OF ANTOINE ST-EXUPERY’S MOST CELEBRATED NOVELLA
FURTHER UP ACLAND ST, elevated just behind The Prince of Wales HOTEL, The JACKALOPE gallery OPENED WITH a famous contemporary artwork, ‘The Rain Room’
The Esplanade Hotel: SOLD!
SAND HILL ROAD GROUP RESCUED THE ESPY FROM DEVELOPERS AND REOPENED IT in nov 2018 after three years of silence TO BRING THE MUSIC AND THE PARTY BACK TO ST KILDA.
“Private equity-backed pub giant Australian Venue Company has snapped up eight trophy Melbourne hotels, including one of the city’s best known venues, The Espy in St Kilda, for around $100 million, after finalising a deal with hospitality operator Sand Hill Road.”
Read the Aug 3, 2022 article from the AFR here.
“The St Kilda icon the Hotel Esplanade sold for $64 million to the Cohen Family owners of The Block Arcade on Collins Street. Sold on behalf of Sand Hill Road, founders Andy and Matt Mullins, Andrew Larke, Doug Maskiell and Tom Birch, brokered by Gorman Allard Shelton’s Joseph Walton and Jonathon McCormack.”
Read the Dec 19, 2022 article from The Hotel Conversation here.
The Beaconsfield Hotel: QUIET STILL
What future for West St Kilda’s old local?
The two-storey 1880’s Italianate by architect William Pitt is classified Significant heritage. Once West St Kilda’s watering hole, it’s been dry since Christmas Eve 2004
