BCC HERITAGE CITATION
Overview and Current Situation
The current condition of SouthBank House reflects the urgency of this development. Over the past century the buildings have progressively deteriorated. They have always been hostel style accommodation and in their current state can only cater for the most hardy and economically challenged. Even tenanted, the cost of ongoing maintenance makes it impossible to adeqately maintain the structures.The properties are currently owned by the Underwood Family Trust and the trustees are keen to restore the properties to their former charm however they need the result to be economically viable and sustainable for the future.
This is entirely what this project is about.
Modern Accommodation demands certain criteria for resident's safety, energy efficiency and sustainability. We beleive that this project is the perfect model for delivering this dual outcome.
Exerpt from BCC Heritage Sections
Historical Report:
This pair of identical two storey, timber villas was built in 1893 as a rental investment for James Reynolds of Cooktown and Denis 0'Doherry. They were obviously built for a comfortable professional class of tenants. In the early 1390s, South Brisbane contained more of Brisbane's elite than any other suburb and despite the 1890s Depression and major flooding between 1890 and 1893, South Brisbane continued to grow as a residential suburb throughout this period (1). The houses were built together on one 32 perch block of land, and have remained on one title since their construction (2).Upon their completion, the twin houses were named Irving Villas numbers One and Two. Captain Gerard Smith, master mariner, was the first occupant in Villa One and Mrs. Jessie Belford, a music teacher first occupied Villa number Two. Smith remained here for ten years until 1904, while his neighbours in Villa Two changed frequently. Following Smith, a succession of short term tenants occupied Villa One.
For many years these villas were well known among students of music from around South Brisbane as they were frequently occupied by music and singing teachers. In the mid 1910s, Mrs. Emily Leith who occupied Villa Two changed its name to Clyde Villa (3).
In 1926, John Mark, a newsagent -whose own residence was nearby in Gladstone Road purchased the villas and continued to lease them to a variety of tenants. Following his death in 1929, his widow Elizabeth Mark, converted the villas into flats. This reflects a familiar pattern in South Brisbane with many fine single residences in the area being converted into flats. AA ccording to renowned Brisbane born author David Malouf, South Brisbane by the 1930s; was no longer a prestigious residential address. By the time he first began to know the area in the 1940s, it had already fallen into disrepute. He said it was "... too close to the derelict, half criminal life of Stanley Street where the abos (sic) were and to Musgrave Park with its swaggies and metho-drinkers" {4}.
Today these houses face one of Brisbane's busiest thoroughfares, and although they appear to have been -returned to their original use of private dwellings, they are yet to undergo the process of gentrification which has occurred in some parts of South Brisbane.
END NOTES
Thom Blake, "South Brisbane: An Historical Overview", Queensland Division Te chnical Papers , Brisbane: Institution of Engineers Australia. 1990. (2) (3) (4) T)Titles Office Records.
Post Office Directories
David Malouf. II Edmondstone Street, Ringwood: penguin, 1985.
ARCHITECTURAL REPORT
This pair of two-storey timber Victorian residences are located on busy Vulture Street. They mirror one another, being built of identical materials and painted identical colours but with reversed form. Both have Pyramidal roofs with a gable end facing the street The gable ends feature cast iron finials and a timber pendant amongst other timber detailing in the face of the gable including vertical boarding with rounded ends. The corrugated iron main roof has a gutter that returns around the bottom of the barge boards on the gable end. This gutter has ornamental pressed metal detailing at each corner. The front verandah roof is curved but the verandahs are enclosed and sheeted in fibre cement with cover strips and have louvre windows above railin, height. The bodies of the houses are constructed of horizontal timber boarding and on the sides have sun hoods with timber battening. The original brick chimneys have two different colours of brickwork, and rise from the rear of the building. The buildings are now supported on concrete stumps and their bases are partially enclosed with concrete block walls. The two buildings are linked by a small bridge at the upper level across the front between the enclosed verandahs.STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
as a rare example of detached identical investment rental housing built to suit middle class aspirations;(2) as they reflect the respectability of South Brisbane as a residential suburb in the 1890s;
(3) as they reflect the familiar pattern in South Brisbane of fine single residences being converted into flats;
(4) for their contribution as a pair of identical buildings to the streetscape of Vulture Street.
DATE OF CITATION: December 1991
AUTHOR OF CITATION: Brisbane City Council Heritage Section
COPYRIGHT BRISBANE NE CITY COUNCIL HERITAGE SECTION
Download original Citation 1991