Walsh's Building Explained

Walsh's Building
Alternate Names:Economic Store Building
Building Type:Retail/office
Architectural Style:Art Deco
Cost:80,000
Location:Perth, Western Australia
Address:726 Hay Street
88 William Street
Owner:Winston Holdings Pty Ltd
Ayoman Pty Ltd
Current Tenants:McDonald's
Florsheim
Landlord:CB Richard Ellis
Start Date:1922
Completion Date:1923
Renovation Date:2011
Floor Count:6
Main Contractor:C W Arnott
Architect:Talbot Hobbs
Ren Architect:Palassis Architects
Ren Firm:Diploma Group

Walsh's Building formerly known as the Economic Store Building is a building in Perth, Western Australia. It was designed by Talbot Hobbs.

Site

The building is located on the corner of Hay Street and William Street, Perth. It stands opposite the Gledden Building and Wesley Church, two other heritage listed buildings on this corner. The current building replaced the previous Economic Store building that had been destroyed by fire in 1921.[1] [2] [3]

Architecture

The building was designed in the Inter-war Art Deco style by Talbot Hobbs, an architect responsible for a number of buildings in the Perth Central Business District.[4]

Construction

Construction on the site began in 1922 and was complete by early 1923. The lead contractor was C.W. Arnott.

A renovation of the building was completed in late 2012.[5] [6] [7]

Usage

The first major tenant in the building was the Economic Store, of which the Perth Mayor Sir William Lathlain was the proprietor.[8]

The building took on its current name when the Walsh's Menswear store opened on the ground level.

The basement of the building was used as a food court until a 2007 fire caused extensive damage, forcing its closure.[9]

It was classified by the National Trust of Western Australia in 1978.

Notes and References

  1. News: Disastrous Perth Fire: Economic Stores Gutted . Western Mail . 20 January 1921 . 14 July 2011. National Library of Australia.
  2. News: Big Blaze in Perth - Economic Stores Destroyed . The Sunday Times . 16 January 1921 . 14 July 2011. National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Real Estate - Indications of Progress . The Sunday Times . 30 July 1922 . 14 July 2011. National Library of Australia.
  4. Web site: Economic Store (fmr) . Heritage Council of Western Australia . Place Database . https://web.archive.org/web/20120327100030/http://register.heritage.wa.gov.au/comprehensivereport.html?place_seq=2152. 27 March 2012. 14 July 2011.
  5. Run Down Perth CBD Heritage Building Fully Refurbished and Leased . CBRE Australia . 27 November 2012 . 31 January 2014.
  6. Web site: Additions and Alterations - Conservation Works - 726 Hay Street . Palassis Architects . 14 July 2011.
  7. News: Diploma Group Limited Receives AUD26 Million in Construction Contracts . Reuters. 7 November 2010 . 14 July 2011.
  8. News: A Mayor's New Stores . The Register . 16 December 1922 . 14 July 2011. National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Man charged over $400,000 fire . Perth Now . 13 February 2007 . Australian Associated Press . 14 July 2011 . Azzopardi, Joachim.