Ugly duckling building no more
With its distinctive tan hue, heavy terraced balconies and peculiar jagged structure, some might say the building on Victoria St was the city’s ugliest.
But a thorough makeover means that feeling of aesthetic displeasure has become a faint memory.
For two years the apartments inside have sat empty, while the building has gone through a $10 million spruce up.
And since emerging from its thick plastic wrap cocoon, the tan colour has disappeared – replaced by a sleek, white exterior.
Number 391 Victoria St was constructed in the 1970s by the Hallensteins clothing company and used for their store.
It was later converted into more retail buildings and offices and between 1999 and 2000 developed into apartments. Since 2003, Graham Catchpole has owned two apartments out of the thirty in the building.
He has had a steady stream of tenants, until problems started occurring on upper apartments – requiring major renovations throughout the whole building.
The job price increased from about $4 million to $10 million, Catchpole said, and many of the owners (there are about 26) did not know the extent of damage until work began.
Moisture was seeping down from the plant room roof and getting in behind the walls, rotting some of them, Catchpole said.
‘‘The external membrane and products used in the 1970s had failed and it was letting water in and they were just really ready to be replaced,’’ he said.
He said the building was never classed as a leaky building through the government scheme. Information provided by project managers ECS Group said the renovation included an entire recladding, new ceilings throughout, as well as new decking and balustrades. The passive fire protection requirements have also been brought up to standard.
Catchpole said the building is now as good as new.
‘‘The roof design is different, the builders have put in new steel beams and put a complete new structure on top and sealed it differently.
‘‘Every single thing has been signed and sealed and council have given us the final warrant of fitness.
‘‘It is now a fabulous building that has had virtually no expense spared on it.’’
Catchpole believes location is its greatest selling point. One of his apartments rents at $550 and the other at $450. He markets them for professionals who desire a central city lifestyle.
‘‘Location is the key – these brand new apartment buildings are great, but they haven’t got the location, they’re three streets back. Would you really like to be walking back from the nightclubs, bars or restaurants if your apartment is streets away?’’
As for its new polished visage, Catchpole loves it.
‘‘It’s brought a new buzz to the central city, people are now commenting on it. We think we’ve improved central city and we hope some of these other buildings will improve to.’’
It is different because it is set back from the street, something he thinks Hallensteins did on purpose to design a mall retail space. But even before its makeover, he never believed the building was ugly.
‘‘It is now a fabulous building that has had virtually no expense spared on it.’’