Globe Theatre Sydney Facing Demolition

[Brooksie]

I have written several times about Sydney's Globe Theatre, the last survivor of what was known as the 'White Way Block' - Sydney's first district for purpose-built cinemas, most of which were built in the early and mid teens.

It was one of the few extant theatres that my great-grandmother wrote of visiting during 1916, and the unofficial headquarters of Sydney's Rudolph Valentino fandom, hosting a world-record season of The Sheik (1921) between February and August 1922. During the 1930s its upper levels were converted into a fine Art Deco radio studio which remains largely intact.

The particularly unenlightened current owners of the property are proposing to demolish the entire building. Anyone who feels as strongly as I do that a hundred year old piece of history is superior to a thirty-storey concrete box (I've seen the proposed design; it is LITERALLY a concrete box) might consider making a submission at https://online2.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au ... pl=1440956. Submissions close on 29 January 2020.

[s.w.a.c.]

Horrendous, the beautiful architecture in that neighbourhood makes walking around downtown Sydney a joy, I haven't been there in nearly a decade, but I remember it fondly. Sadly, the same sort of short-sighted nonsense is in full effect everywhere, I don't recognize my own city sometimes.

[missdupont]

I've just written a letter about saving the theatre. I suggest you post this on the Theatre Historical Society of America page, so that they can share it with their members and supporters and can share it with worldwide supporters of historic theatres.

[missdupont]

Also write any historic preservation groups and historic theatre groups there in Sydney who can argue for preservation.

[Brooksie]

Thank you both. The news is making its way around local preservation groups, and hopefully it will do some good. Unfortunately there is a pro-development party in power at the state level that seems determined to rob everyone of their right to object to the transformation of Sydney into a cheap and nasty version of itself.

The New South Wales branch of the National Trust has already made a submission, expressing surprise that the building isn't already covered by local heritage protections. I can only hope that will be rectified. I think there is a reasonable chance that the facade, at very least, might be retained.

The really baffling thing is that the site's owners won heritage awards for their conversion of the surrounding buildings - including the upper levels of the historic State Theatre (1929) - into a luxury hotel. There was a lot of cynicism about this project at the time, but it seems to have been well-achieved. To argue, as the developers have, that their proposed extension to the same hotel sacrifices a couple of insignificant buildings to better cater for the ones they have restored, is a real slap in the face.

Anyway, I will keep a close eye on the situation.

[Brooksie]

The Australian edition of The Guardian newspaper has picked up on the story, with a lengthy article at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... der-threat that has prompted a lot of comment.

I'm encouraged by the news that a heritage panel is assessing the proposal. I made a formal submission regarding the theatre, which I have posted on my website in a slightly different form: https://brooksieatthemovies.weebly.com/ ... ation.html.

[Brooksie]

Well, this long saga is about to draw to a close. The City of Sydney's Planning Committee is assessing the development application on 12 November. I've read the paperwork so you don't have to (there's lots), and the takeaway is that there's bad news and kind-of-good news

The bad news is that demolition of the theatre is recommended to go ahead, and I see no reason that the Committee will vote against that recommendation. So, good bye Globe Theatre.

The kind-of-good news is that the significance of the upstairs radio theatre has been recognised, and though its condition is considered a barrier to its full preservation, it is set to be reconstructed and interpreted inside the new building. A heritage display relating to the Globe Theatre is also being proposed.

So ... significant enough to be memorialised, but not quite significant enough to bother keeping. In tear-'em-down Sydney, that's practically a win.

For those with sufficient intestinal fortitude, the paperwork is available here: https://meetings.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.a ... 3731&Ver=4.

[missdupont]

I received an email from them about the hearing after I responded months ago. I will respond to this one.

[Brooksie]

For some unknown reason, the submissions themselves remain confidential (or at least, accessible only by submitting a Freedom of Information request), although they are selectively quoted in the report. I would love to know who the other submissions came from. I do know that the NSW National Trust submitted one, and reading through the other quotes in the report, I can see that some very knowledgeable submissions were made. You would think it would be relevant for the public to at least know the credentials and organisations of the people who opposed this development.

At least the meeting will take place at a reasonable hour (10pm on 11 November PST) so I'll be able to tune in, but I am not optimistic that there will be an eleventh-hour reprieve, unfortunately ...

[Brooksie]

Well, the development was just approved unanimously, so that is that.

The main argument for it going ahead is that it will approve amenity to the adjacent State Theatre (1929), the last surviving luxury purpose-built cinema in Sydney. The State's backstage and wings are famously atrocious (understandably, seeing as it was never envisioned as the live performance venue it has now become); the Globe is a sacrificial lamb to the cause of 'future proofing' it. Sic transit gloria mundi, and all that ...