Newcastle s post office ripe for reinvention

Newcastle’s post office ripe for reinventionTwo design concepts – an indigenous art hotel and an indigenous medical institute – were unveiled last week to a packed crowd keen to explore how to save Newcastle’s heritage post office.The Property Council brought together more than 200 stakeholders – including members of the local indigenous community, state politicians, councillors, local developers and potential investors – to reimagine one of Australia’s finest examples of nineteenth century architecture.”Newcastle can have world-class redevelopments of heritage buildings – just like Sydney has done,” says Andrew Fletcher, the Property Council’s regional director in NSW.”The post office holds cultural significance not only for Newcastle, but for the nation.”After sitting dormant for years, the ownership of the building was transferred to the Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Council, paving the way for the site to be converted into a training or healthcare facility. However, the Land Council faces restoration costs of up to $20 million.The Property Council established a technical advisory panel, including architectural firms EJE and dwp|suters. The brief given to the panel was simple: design site solutions that would maintain strong links with the aboriginal owners and deliver sufficient revenue to preserve the building’s heritage values.Both designs on display make striking architectural statements, adding up to ten floors to the existing building. Fletcher says the concepts are “conversation starters” and he’s optimistic that other proposals will follow. “The owners recognise they need a partner, and several expressions of interest packs have been requested, which is great news,” Fletcher says.”The event was overwhelmingly positive from all angles. People were quick to praise the Property Council for taking a leadership position; and pleased that proposals are being sought in a formal way.”Extra height on the site and the income it generates through commercial uses will be the only way to pay for repairs and ongoing maintenance of the heritage facade,” Fletcher says, pointing to the adaptive reuse of the Queen Victoria Building and the GPO at No. 1 Martin Place in Sydney as “perfect examples of how to conserve our heritage for future generations.”But Fletcher warns that support from political leaders is imperative.”Where heritage conservation is concerned, our city’s councillors have ultimate discretion and are not constrained by things like building heights or car parking requirements. “Either our civic leaders have the conviction to deliver salvation or they must accept responsibility for our cultural heritage being lost forever.”