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Lygon Street Precinct D
Location128-140 & 129-135 LYGON STREET, BRUNSWICK EAST, MORELAND CITY LevelIncluded in Heritage Overlay |
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Statement of Significance
What is significant?
The Lygon Street Precinct D area is a small commercial area comprising a portion of Lygon Street between Piera and O'Connor Streets. It exhibits two distinct periods of suburban development within the locality, principally the 1880s land boom, and the subsequent interwar suburban consolidation and growth in Brunswick. Suburban development in the area occurred from around 1885, consistent with the construction date of the earliest surviving buildings in the precinct, the 'Lygon Buildings' at 132-140 Lygon Street. This terrace of five two storey late Victorian shops date from 1891. The east side of the precinct contains these buildings, and on the opposite corner of Piera Street, a highly intact two storey 1920s pair of shops survives. On the west side of the precinct is a row of intact 1920s shops with simple face brick or rendered parapets terminating in a two storey Edwardian shop with render dressing. Residential housing stock surrounding the precinct reflects the two key periods demonstrated in the precinct, late Victorian to the east in O'Connor and Piera Streets, and Edwardian and interwar west of Lygon Street in Warburton Street and beyond. Overall, the precinct is in good condition, and retains a high degree of integrity, particularly in the upper storey facades.
Elements which contribute to the significance of the precinct include (but are not limited to):
- The row of single storey c.1920s shops with simple decorative parapets in face brick or render (129-133a Lygon Street)
- The 'Lygon Buildings' (c.1891) a row of two storey Victorian Shops, including their upper storey classical detailing, inset panels of tiles and the original cast iron verandah at 132. (132-140 Lygon Street).
- The pair of highly intact c. 1920 shops at 128-130 Lygon Street
- The generally high integrity of upper level facades on two storey buildings
- The high degree of integrity of single storey shopfronts, original detailing and finishes typically comprising stallboard tiles, metal framed shopfronts and entrance doors as well as decorative parapets finished either in face brick or render
- The intact shopfronts at 117, 88-90,106, 100a and 115 Lygon Street
- The intact verandahs at 38-42, 86, 103, 109-109a, 113 Lygon Street
- Retail buildings with roofs concealed by parapets
- The consistent one or two storey scale of retail buildings.
- The attached form of retail buildings with no front setbacks and similar facade widths creating a repetitive module.
- The form and fabric of surviving early shopfronts, typically built with large timber or metal framed display windows above stall boards, smaller highlight windows (often with leadlight glazing), glazed ceramic tile surfaces, and recessed doorways.
- The form and fabric of the decorative parapets finished either in face brick or render on the single storey shops
- External signage generally restricted to verandah fascias or suspended from the underside of verandahs.
- The limited number of modern internally illuminated signs.
- Bluestone access laneways at the rear of commercial premises
Non-contributory elements include:
- The single storey shop at 133b Lygon Street
How is it significant?
The Lygon Street Precinct D area is of local historical and aesthetic significance to the City of Merri-bek.
Why is it significant?
The Lygon Street Precinct D area is historically significant for its capacity to demonstrate the two major phases of development in the Municipality associated with the 1880s land boom and the period of economic recovery and prosperity following the First World War. The 'Lygon Buildings' on the east side of were constructed to provide services for the small local community in the Piera and O'Connor Street area. The interwar development on the southern corner of Piera and Lygon Street and on the west side of the precinct correlates to the subdivision of land in Warburton Street area, immediately west of the precinct. Collectively, they combine to show the development of Lygon Street as a continuing arrangement of small shopping strips constructed primarily to service the residential subdivisions which were created in periods of economic growth. (Criteria A)
The precinct isof further historical significant for its capacity to demonstrate the importance of the electric tram network as a catalyst for commercial development along Lygon Street and its surrounding residential areas post 1916.
Aesthetically, the precinct is significant as it contains a collection of highly intact commercial and retail buildings from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, which collectively form a part of a small retail shopping strip. The interwar shops are fine examples of their type, and highly intact. The intact shopfronts are rare surviving examples, and considered to be important. While the shops have a variety of parapet designs, they are consistently of a similar scale. All of the contributory single storey shops retain all or most of their original shopfronts, including stallboard tiles, metal framed windows and recessed doors which make an important contribution to the early character of the area. The two storey interwar shops are extremely intact externally, and the upper storey facade of the two storey Victorian shops are also highly intact, with limited alterations. (Criterion B & E)
Group
Commercial
Category
Shop