MONA…Murray

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Article – Legal fight over 10 Murray St may continue

Legal fight over 10 Murray St

may continue

Posted Wed Feb 16, 2011 9:02am AEDT, http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/16/3139995.htm

A group opposed to the demolition of the 10 Murray Street office block in Hobart is considering further legal action.

The 1960’s office block will be knocked down to make way for a $100 million redevelopment of Parliament Square after an appeal to save the building was dismissed.

The Save 10 Murray group argued the building was culturally and architecturally significant.

Spokeswoman Briony Kidd said the group was considering further action.

“We do have the option of appealing this decision to the Supreme Court, it’s simply that that’s a very expensive process,” Ms Kidd said.

“We’ve obviously put quite a lot of time and resources into the appeal up until now, which we were all happy to do because we do feel very passionately about this, but there are limits to what we can do.”

READ THE FULL ARTICE:  http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/16/3139995.htm

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Article – 10 Murray set to go

10 Murray set to go

The Mercury, DAVID KILLICK   | February 16, 2011 05.28pm

The 10 Murray St office block is set to be demolished.

THE state’s planning tribunal has approved the demolition of the state office block at 10 Murray St – paving the way for the controversial $100 million Parliament Square redevelopment to proceed.

The Resource Management Planning and Appeals Tribunal yesterday rejected arguments from a group which wanted to preserve the 43-year-old, 14-storey office tower.

It found that the building did not have particular architectural merit and that its retention and refurbishment would not make economic sense.

“In the Tribunal’s mind, the existing building is neither an examplar of anything much at all nor is it especially well executed,” the Tribunal found.

“In the tribunal’s view there is ample material which persuades that there are overriding environmental and economic considerations not to retain the building.”

It also ruled that the proposal complied with the Sullivans Cove Planning Scheme and would improve the precinct in its current form.

“The site proposed for redevelopment is decrepit and has in large part fallen into disuse.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE:  http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/02/15/207355_real-estate-news.html

Note: This article appeared in the print edition on 16 February, but appeared online on 15 February 2011.

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Article – Office building backers vow to fight on

Office building backers vow to fight on

The Mercury, February 1 2011

The protectors of 10 Murray St are penning a second appeal after an amended plan for the controversial redevelopment was approved yesterday.

The Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority gave the Citta Property Group’s $100 million Parliament Square amended development plan the tick.

However, the development hinges on the initial appeal filed by the project’s main opponents, Save 10 Murray St, which remains before the Resource Management Planning and Appeal Tribunal.

The Parliament Square redevelopment is intended to revitalise the block of government buildings between Parliament House and Davey St.

But it has prompted controversy because the plans include the demolition of several historically or architecturally significant buildings, including the 14-storey Murray St office tower and the former Government Printing Office in Salamanca Place.

Save 10 Murray spokesperson Briony Kidd said fighting two applications was draining, but the group would still fight vehemently.

“We will continue to object to the demolition of the iconic building 10 Murray St and the heritage-listed Government Printing building,” she said.

Miss Kidd said the group was expecting a decision from the planning tribunal within the next week.

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Article – Last plea to save offices

Last plea to save offices

DAVID KILLICK   | The Mercury

January 19, 2011 12.01am

THE 43-year-old government office tower at 10 Murray St is part of a “threatened generation of city buildings” and should be saved from demolition, a planning tribunal has heard.

Final arguments in the appeal against Citta Property Group’s $100 million Parliament Square development were heard in the Resource Management Planning and Appeal Tribunal yesterday.

The main objector is the Save 10 Murray group which wants the building preserved because of its heritage significance and architectural qualities.

The Parliament Square redevelopment is intended to revitalise the block of government buildings between Parliament House and Davey St.

It has prompted controversy because the plans include the demolition of several historically or architecturally significant buildings including the 14-storey Murray St office tower and the former Government Printing Office in Salamanca Place.

Save 10 Murray’s lawyer Shaun McElwaine said two reports used to bolster the case for redevelopment were flawed.

“The evidence put forward in favour of demolition suffers a number of defects and should be rejected,” he said.

“The persons who say this building is of such low significance it should be knocked down did not study here, do not practise here and have not spent much time here.

“It is an important building in the Tasmanian context, although it is maligned by some.”

Mr McElwaine said 10 Murray St was one of just five surviving state office blocks built during the post-war boom.

“We’ve got a heritage watchdog with their eye off the ball. They swallowed the developer’s line,” he said.

A revised proposal for the site is being considered by the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority.

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Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood: Artists announced

HOBART – 16 March, 2010.  Save 10 Murray today announced the 34 artists who will take part in Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood.  The exhibition asks artists to creatively respond to 10 Murray Street, the Hobart high-rise office block that has been condemned to demolition under the recently approved ‘Parliament Square’ redevelopment.

The participating artists are:  Andrew Harper, Adam Walker, David Keeling, Helen Wright, Lucy  Gouldthorpe, Luke Morgan, Matt Warren, Narelle Badalassi, Pip Stafford, Rory Lefroy, Stephen Walker, Sarah Jones, sister0, Thomas Ryan, Tom O’Hern, Peter Hiller, Jocelyn Loney, Alex Hamilton, Billy Gruner, Cara-Ann Simpson, Damiano Bertoli, Daniel Argyle, Joshua Petherick, Juan Ford, Ry Haskings, Richard Butler-Bowdon, Sean Meilak. Sarah Keighery, Masato Takasaka, Jacob Walker, Kati Rule, Lisa Radford, Madeline Kidd, Warren Taylor and Xin Cheng.

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The Sunday Tasmanian: Last chance for a say

This article shows what the building that will replace 10 Murray Street will look like and its positioning in close proximity to Parliament House.

The public can comment on the ‘Parliament Square’ development by  emailing info@waterfront.gov.au by 10 February.

The proposed demolition of 10 Murray Street is of relevance to anyone who is concerned about the building, not just Tasmanians – so anyone is entitled to comment.

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‘Parliament Square’ Development Application Re-Advertised – PUBLIC COMMENTS DUE BY 10 FEBRUARY

Text of advertisement in The Mercury from the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority, 23 January 2010:

RE-ADVERTISED:  APPLICATION FOR PLANNING PERMIT /
APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL TO CARRY OUT WORKS

Location: “Parliament Square” and the rear of Parliament House. Parliament Square being the land bound by Salamanca Place, Davey & Murray Streets and Parliament House, Hobart, which includes Parliament House, 10 Murray Street, 12 Murray Street, 34 Davey Street, 34 West Davey Street, 36 Davey Street and 2-4 & 6 Salamanca Place.  (Lots 1, 2 & 3 of Central Plan Register No. 8497)

Proposal: Demolition, new building and works, mixed use development comprising offices, arts & cultural centre, eating establishments and hotel (bar), civic square & car parking, building alterations & additions, road works and public urban space works & furniture (re-advertised).

This application is being re-advertised as additional information has been received by the Authority.

Representations on this application should be received by 4pm, Wednesday 10 February 2010.

The application can be inspected in person at the Authority’s offices at 5 Franklin Wharf, Hobart between 9am and 5pm weekdays and at other times by appointment.

Any person may make a representation in relation to an application by writing to Hadley Sides, Chief Executive Officer, GPO Box 2114, HOBART 7001. Representations may also be received by email at info@waterfront.tas.gov.au

A full list of applications currently available for inspection are on our website at www.waterfront.tas.gov.au.

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The Advocate: Brutey is in the eye of the beholder

Brutey is in the eye of the beholder

Of the many requests to join this group or that on Facebook, there are a few who I join.One came through recently: Save 10 Murray – Architectural Gem to be Demolished.

Its 277 members hope to “Stop the wanton destruction of this landmark 1960s building.” and “Preserve Australia’s architectural heritage.”

Hobart’s State Government Offices are in the building that stands at this address and it is a fine example of modernist 1960s architecture; a style now regularly referred to as brutalist.

Burnie’s public library is an example; as is Launceston’s Henty House, although both buildings are younger than Murray St’s. …

Read the article here:  http://www.theadvocate.com.au/blogs/cat-among-the-pigeons/brutey-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/1706955.aspx?src=email

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Australian Design Review: It’s not easy being a Brute

It’s not easy being a Brute
Paul Johnston
01.12.09

Paul Johnston explains why many believe the destruction of 10 Murray Street will be a tragic blow to the legacy of Australia’s modernist pioneers.

Stylistic attributes are never the best way to understand modern architecture. In Tasmania, where architectural influences are filtered by isolation and mixed with the rich context of landscape, modern architecture of the 1960s took on a rawness that expressed a cultural assurance and monumentality that has not been evident since. However, the label ‘brutalism’

is now used as a means of derision in the public sphere, to the detriment of architecture as a whole.

The proposal to demolish the State Offices at 10 Murray Street in Hobart recalls the long debate over the future of Council House in Perth, a battle that is now considered a benchmark in the defence of modern Australian architecture. The similarities are surprising, and this raises questions as to whether we have been able to engender any appreciation at all of modernism as cultural heritage. …

Read the article here: http://australiandesignreview.com/response/14678-It-s-not-easy-being-a-Brute

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