Despite attempts by locals and the council to preserve one of St Kilda's classic interwar heritage streetscapes, VCAT has in favour of developers to completely demolish five buildings along Acland street.
Take your last look at this streetscape ....
These buildings and their edwardian chimneys form one of the most intact streetscapes left in St Kilda and sit in a prominent corner, the Acland Street junction which features interwar landmarks including Luna Park, Palais Theatre, the memorial fountain and the St Kilda RSL.
This development will set a precedent for development along the rest of Acland Street, a street known for its heritage streetscapes and which draws tourists by the bucketload. The scale is simply innapropriate in my opinion.
The underground parking and additional apartments will put increasing pressure on an already congested area where the local public transport is stressed to over capacity.
Not to mention the tackiness of the design proposal.
From the Emerald Hill Weekly (by Denise Mooney)
VCAT calls last orders at Greasy Joe's joint
ACLAND Street eatery Greasy Joe's will be demolished along with four adjacent heritage buildings to make way for a "flamboyant" four-story block of restaurants and apartments.
A permit for the development, known as "The Face" because of its Salvador Dali-inspired facade was granted by the state planning tribunal earlier this month, ending a battle by residents and Port Phillip Council to block the proposal.
The corner of Carlisle, Acland and Havelock streets, St Kilda, will be transformed by the development, which will include two restaurants seating a total of 250 people, shops, 14 apartments and an underground car park with 20 spaces. The facade will feature a 13-metre high sheath of copper cladding in the form of a giant mask.
ST Kilda ward councillor Karen Sait slammed the decision and said VCAT paid too much attention to the "glitz" of the design and not enough to the council's planning policy.
"The Face might be a high-quality design, but it comes at a terrible price - the demolition of five heritage-listed buildings which are part and parcel of the area's inter-war character" she said.
Cr Sait said the new building would be an overdevelopment of the site. Port Phillip Council refused a permit earlier this year because it objected to the demolition of heritage buildings.
But VCAT senior member Margaret Baird and member Cindy Wilson said the demolition of the buildings was acceptable and the project would deliver "very high-quality design".
"It would reinforce the evolving flamboyance and diversity of St Kilda's heritage," they said, although they ordered nine roof decks in the original plan to be deleted.
The original plans attracted 21 objections from residents, mainly relating to parking and amenity concerns.
But VCAT dismissed their concerns, saying the plans allowed for restaurants, not bars or nightclubs and both venues would close by 1am. The tribunal acknowledged the parking constraints in the area, but said staff and patrons would have excellent access to public transport.
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