Update - Eastern Arcade Demolished as planning minister ignores Heritage Council

One of the rarest Byzantine styled buildings in Australia has been lost forever to be replaced by a rather plain looking podium for a modern apartment building.

First built in 1872 in the east end of Bourke Street, the Eastern Arcade's facade was remodelled in 1894 by Hyndman & Bates (Bates being one of Melbourne's foremost architects) in a unique looking middle eastern inspired design (pictured right). Melbourne is a city famous for its laneways and arcades. Plans still existed and with the right funding, another of Melbourne's more interesting laneways could have been returned to its former glory.

Instead, in a sad day for Victoria's heritage and despite advice from the Heritage Council on the facade's significance and arguments to keep it, the planning minister, Justin Madden, vetoed in favour of the developer, Queensland based property firm Devine Limited, who swiftly moved to raze the remains of the landmark boom-time Melbourne building.