Article – Appeals stall project

Appeals stall project

The Examiner, 23 May, 2010

The redevelopment of Hobart’s Parliament Square has hit a few obstacles, writes ZOE EDWARDS.

THE developer charged with revamping Hobart’s Parliament Square precinct says the multimillion-dollar project is running smoothly and on budget, despite planning appeals delaying the start of work.

Sydney-based developer Citta Property Group proposes to convert the area behind Parliament House into an open and grassed public space, including an amphitheatre with a giant outdoor screen, bars, eateries and office space.

The space is currently full of unused heritage-listed buildings, car parks and State Government offices.

The Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority in February approved the demolition of government high-rise 10 Murray Street, a row of buildings along Salamanca Place and the red brick annexe off Parliament House.

The planning go-ahead has sparked a number of appeals against the redevelopment, namely by a group intent on saving 10 Murray and the heritage- listed Printing Authority building from the demolition ball.

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Article – Parliament lease details not finalised

Parliament lease details not finalised

by Zoe Edwards

The Examiner, 23 May 2010

DETAILS of a long-term lease agreement between the State Government and the company contracted to build a new government office building behind Parliament House are yet to be finalised.

Citta Property Group plans to demolish government office block 10 Murray Street to build a five-star green building, as part of its Parliament Square redevelopment.

Treasurer Michael Aird says the Government had guaranteed to lease the new building but could not detail the length or cost of the agreement.

“Negotiation of the final terms of a lease agreement have not been finalised,” Mr Aird said.

This comes at a time when the Government is proceeding to buy back Burnie’s North West Regional Hospital for $29million, releasing the Government from the final 10 years of a $5million-a-year lease for the site.

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Video – Understanding Hobart’s architecture through art

A video about the Save 10 Murray art exhibition has been posted on the ABC Local Radio website.  Features sister0 (Nancy Mauro-Flude) and Madeline Kidd, two of the artists, and architect Paul Johnston.  Watch the video.

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Article: Treasurer blocks building award

Treasurer blocks building award

by Zoe Edwards

The Examiner, 7 May 2010

Tasmania’s Treasurer has blocked the nomination of Hobart’s 10 Murray Street’s government office building for an architectural award.

The 1960s, 14-storey building is one of two buildings in Parliament Square set to be demolished to make way for a multi-million dollar redevelopment.

Briony Kidd — the head of Save 10 Murray lobby group, which has launched an appeal against the demolitions — nominated the building for an Australian Institute of Architects 25 Year Award for enduring architecture.

But Treasurer Michael Aird has stopped the nomination, which needs permission from treasury — the building’s owner — in order to go ahead.

Mr Aird said it was inappropriate for the building to be nominated.

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“Who Cares About Concrete?” Discussion Forum

Save 10 Murray is holding a public discussion  forum as a sidebar to its successful art exhibition (6-14 May) in which artists respond to 10 Murray Street.

The event, “Who Cares About Concrete?” is free and open to the public and will feature a panel of experts. The panel will discuss issues of  20th Century heritage in Hobart, such as what kind of buildings are  worthy of being retained for future generations and why.

They will discuss the fate of buildings like the iconic 10 Murray Street, condemned to demolition recenlty to make way for the ‘Parliament Square’ redevelopment.

The speakers, who will also take questions from the audience, are:

ADRIAN FRANKLIN (Professor of Sociology/The Collectors, ABCTV), HELEN NORRIE (Lecturer at the School of Architecture and Design at the University of Tasmania), PAUL JOHNSTON (Hobart architect and chair of the Australian Insitute of Architects’ 20th Century buildings committee) and sister0 (aka NANCY MAURO-FLUDE, artist and performer whose work features in the art exhibition).

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