“After eight months of unrelenting controversy and campaigning, new actions by Australian government agency Heritage Victoria could significantly delay or jeopardize Apple’s plans for a store in Federation Square,” Michael Steeber reports for 9to5Mac. “A new document published from the desk of Heritage Victoria’s Executive Director has issued an Interim Protection Order on Federation Square for the next four months. The order bars any development, demolition, relocation, or alterations to buildings within the specified boundaries.”
“Earlier this month, Heritage Victoria announced that it had accepted a nomination for Federation Square to be listed on the Victorian Heritage Register,” Steeber reports. “The nomination was fast-tracked due to concerns about Apple’s plans to significantly alter the public space.”
“Apple’s plans for Melbourne were first released in December 2017, drawing instantaneous skepticism and pushback from community members who disputed the proposed demolition of Federation Square’s Yarra building,” Steeber reports. “Revised plans released this past July did little to ease tempers, continuing to suggest significant alterations to the square. The Yarra building falls within the borders of Heritage Victoria’s new interim order.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Federation Square is turning into the Jackling House of Apple retail stores.
SEE ALSO:
Apple looks to replace ‘Pizza Hut Pagoda’ flagship store in Melbourne with new boxy design – July 20, 2018
Federation Square flagship Apple store labeled ‘Pizza Hut pagoda’ as Melbourne City Council vows to fight design – February 7, 2018
Apple reveals plans for Apple Federation Square flagship store in Melbourne, Australia – December 20, 2017
When you are dealing with historical areas, the integrity should be respected and maintained. Certainly, Apple has the resources to make this work …
Yes, that’s true. But if it’s a “historical” area, then perhaps one might look at examples in “history” where that area has been protected from other modifications. If there are none, one wonders that the “historical” claim is suddenly used to unreasonably delay commercial development in a given instance.
I’m not sure, but maybe it’s the first time a commercial interest has been given special permission to take over part of a supposedly public and largely artistic space, and one that IIRC includes an Aboriginal museum too….? Do any other Aussies know more about that?
The Yarra building is pretty horrid. Can’t imagine anyone wants to save it.
If they had insisted on an open process that brought the community with them, they could’ve done it IMO.
Many planners think that the Yarra building hasn’t been successful. Nobody knew this before the original Pizza Hut proposal. If they had, there could’ve been a way to discuss why it hadn’t worked and how the area could be improved.
Instead, we had this release come out of nowhere saying that one of the buildings in a significant piece of community infrastructure was going to be demolished and replaced with something completely different to the fabric of the site. That shock and hubris is why people are so upset about this.
Heritage Victoria are right to put a temporary order on the site. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and talk to one another.