Shops and Residentces

What is significant?

The two storey row of brick and stucco offices, shops and dwellings was erected in 1890 on part of a triangular Crown reserve bounded by Napier, Nicholson and Buckley Streets set aside for the Footscray Mechanics Institute in 1886.

As a form of income for the Mechanics Institute trust, prominent local architect and Footscray councillor Charles James Polain and builder James Rawsthorn leased the corner of Nicholson and Buckley streets for a commercial development (from December 1890- 1912): they designed and built the row of shops, offices and dwellings. Polain was the principal resident architect within the Western region of Melbourne, being responsible for a number of distinctive and significant designs. Polain was also nationally known for his starting gate invention used in horse racing. This building was his office for a time.

The Footscray Mechanics Institute Trust continued to own and lease the building after the initial Polain lease, housing some locally notable tenants as well as the Footscray Institute of Technology.

Contributory elements

The contributory elements within the heritage place include (but not exclusively):

. Parapeted and trabeated form based on classical sources in the English Queen Anne revival manner;

. Red brick walls, corbel-top chimneys and cement mouldings;

. Double-hung sash windows timberframed windows;

. Cement mouldings and detailing and their distinctive application;

. The angled plan form aligning with the street configuration;

. Professional office character of the Nicholson Street facade, with limited shopfront application; and

. The former retail character of Buckley St with original shopfront divisions still visible.

How is it significant?

Polain's shops, offices & dwelling row is historically, architecturally and aesthetically significant to the City of Maribyrnong and locality of Footscray.

Why is it significant?

Polain's shops, offices & dwelling row is significant to the City of Maribyrnong and locality of Footscray because:

Historically:

The shop, office and dwelling row evokes an unusual development scheme where a Crown Reserve was used to create an income stream for the Footscray Mechanics Institute trustees that allowed the erection of the significant Mechanics Institute building to the east.

The trustees who commissioned this development were among some of the more prominent artisans or working men in the Footscray community who had aided in the development of services (including the mechanics institute) within this largely working class community at a local and government level.

As well as the close association with locally important men in the Western Region such as Clark, Sims, and Mitchell, the building's designer Charles Polain achieved fame nationally as the inventor of a patented starting gate, first used at Flemington racecourse, as well as for his design skill within the region.

Part of the building was also used for the Footscray Institute of Technology during its infancy and was sited within Footscray's civic centre of the Victorian and Edwardian-eras.

Architecturally and Aesthetically:

As an uncommon form of Charles Polain's commercial work, the row has his trademark distinctive cement detailing and follows the rising British Queen Anne revival manner previously seen in landmark residential examples such as Queen Bess Row in East Melbourne.

Group

Residential buildings (private)

Category

Residence