147 George Street, The Rocks is a heritage-listed former retail building and residence and now duty-free store complex located at 147 George Street, in the inner city Sydney suburb of The Rocks in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It was built during 1914. It is also known as part of a Duty Free Store complex. The property is owned by Property NSW, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 10 May 2002.
History
As indicated by James Meehan's Survey of 1807 this site was first occupied by Surgeon General John White at Lot No. 4 and Captain William Raven at Lot No. 5. In Mrs Underwood was the owner of three storey stone shops and houses each with seven rooms. By 1845 a two-storey brick house and shop with a shingle roof and five rooms was built. Also on this same allotment at the corner of George and Globe Streets a two-storey stone and brick house and store was erected. The five roomed house had "every convenience". In 1861 this building was used as a "Bowling Alley" managed by William Ogilvie. In 1871 in the tenements erected by Underwood, a public house was opened called the "Nil Desperandum Hotel". By 1882 three two storey tenements were erected between the butcher shop and the brick and stone shop on the north side of the Public House, now known as the New York Hotel. These shops and dwelling were constructed of brick and they were roofed in iron. In 1891 the building to the south corner of Globe and George Streets was pulled down. By 1891 George McEvoy had erected houses to the Harrington Street frontage. The four storey buildings were of brick and stone and the roofs were slated but these houses were pulled down in 1906. In 1892 a three-storey brick and slate roofed shop and dwelling was erected for the Trustees of the Church of England to 145 George Street. In 1900 the area was resumed under the Observatory Hill Resumption Act. The New York Hotel was demolished in 1907 and by 1908 Tooth & Co. Ltd. erected the brick and iron roofed building to 153/155 George Street. In 1912 the tenements to 149 and 151 George Street were pulled down, and in the same year a two-storey brick office building was erected to the rear of 145 George Street. During 1913 Quay Chambers at 149-151 George Street were erected. The tenement to 147 George Street was demolished in 1914 and in that same year the present three storey brick building was erected.
The site was identified as having European occupation since at least 1791, with other structures by 1822. From then on, site development was intense. In the 1890s, and following the Resumption in 1900 the current buildings facing George Street were constructed.
Description
It is a simple but imposing three storey dark face brick building constructed in 1914 in a Federation Free Classical style replacing an existing tenement demolished as part of the slum clearances. Its prominent feature is a large semi-circular double storey verandah opening which was dramatically altered by the construction of a semi-circular awning/entrance in the 1980s redevelopment. The building uses small amount of sandstone in the capping to the gable parapet and keystone. The shopfront with a central entry and tiling to waist height, which existed during the Nicholas occupation in the 1930s had been modified by the 1980s. The 1980s redevelopment completely removed the shopfront to create a double level entrance to the modern development at the rear of the site.
Modifications and dates
DFS complex: 1988 (the redevelopment involved the demolition of the rear of the George Street buildings, the removal of interior and the creation of new shopfront). In 1914 to 157–159 George Street Nathan Jacobs erected the New York Theatre. The New York Theatre was demolished in 1937. This site was acquired by the Public Transport Commission in 1946 and the City Circle Railway was opened in 1956. In the late 1980s the site was developed with a large commercial historic building erected behind 145-155 George Street whilst the facades of the building were adapted.
Heritage listing
As at 19 November 2008, 147 George Street was constructed in 1911, a part of a group of four buildings, and has State Heritage significance for its historic and social values.