In Brief:

• The Sydney and Melbourne Buildings in Canberra City are being restored.
• The restoration project is a joint effort between building owners and the ACT Government.
• Consultation on the legislative process for the buildings’ Revitalisation Plan will open soon.

The work to restore the exterior of the iconic Sydney and Melbourne Buildings is picking up pace.

Here’s what you need to know about this project:

What does the work involve?

Repainting has started on the Melbourne Building on the corner of Alinga Street and Northbourne Avenue. This section includes the business frontages of:

• Amici Wine Bar and Deli
• Bistro Nguyen's
• Smith's Alternative.

Who owns the Sydney and Melbourne buildings?

The Sydney and Melbourne Buildings are privately owned. They include four individual buildings with about 100 separate land titles. These have multiple owners, and no common management body.

The restoration recognises the history and architecture of the heritage-listed buildings. It is a shared project between the ACT Government and building owners. The work will restore and preserve these Canberra landmarks.

An owner’s outlook

Ravi Sharma is a Sydney Building property owner. “The façade repainting will lift these beautiful buildings and help create a standout feature for visitors to the city,” he said.

“As a building owner, I certainly appreciate the ACT Government's support to preserve the character of these iconic buildings. The fresh façade will enhance the appeal of the businesses operating within them and be a drawcard for patrons.”

Who is paying for the work?

The ACT Government established a grants program to support building owners to repaint their building façades. Building owners have been offered a grant from the City Renewal Authority. This is to facilitate façade repainting work that is consistent with the cream and white colour scheme specified in the buildings’ Conservation Management Plan.

Over the last five years, the ACT Government has engaged with Canberrans about the potential for legislation to maintain the buildings. This has included:

• building owners
• businesses
• the broader community.

The legislation would allow the Government to carry out and charge for the painting works if the building’s owners do not complete it themselves.

A final round of consultation on the legislative process for the buildings’ Revitalisation Plan will open soon. This will gather any outstanding comments on the plan before legislation to maintain the buildings is tabled with the ACT Legislative Assembly.

The plan has been developed over several years. City Renewal will seek feedback from the buildings’ property owners and interested heritage stakeholders before it is finalised.

When will the restoration be finished?

It is estimated that the façade repainting of both buildings will take 18 months to complete. Repainting of the building façades follows pavement, lighting and infrastructure upgrades to the buildings’ Odgers and Verity Lanes completed in 2023.

Read more like this:

• Have your say on the street upgrades in the city and Dickson
• New development for Constitution Place precinct

Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:

Subscribe to Our CBR