COMMERCIAL BUILDING, 28-32 MARKET STREET

Statement of Significance

The place is of historic significance as an example of a commercial building in the Fremantle Town Centre dating from the early decades of the twentieth century. The place is a modest example of a commercial building dating from the first decades of the twentieth century that forms part of a group of similar places and makes a contribution to the Fremantle Town Centre streetscape. Awning and shop fronts are not significant.

Physical Description

Note: the entire complex of buildings southwest of Atwell Arcade is listed as 110 High Street, although most of the shops address Market Street. Commercial Building, 28-32 Market Street is a single storey rendered building similar to, and adjoining number 34-36 Market Street. The building has a zero setback from the pavement. There is a bracketed parapet flanked by low engaged pilasters. Number 28 and 30 Market Street have recessed entrances. There is a suspended, deep-boxed metal verandah awning, probably not original.

History

An 1870s plan shows no buildings on this site. A c.1888 photograph shows the corner of Market and High Streets, with what appears to be a single-storey brick building with a shingle roof with a truncated entrance across the corner. No awnings or verandahs are evident. By 1897, a plan shows an L-shaped building wrapping the corner of Market and High Streets, and a rectangular building adjacent to it to the north. The plan is not detailed or clear, but does not appear to show the northern building wrapping around the corner into Cantonment Street. 1898 and 1902 plans clarify that the building addresses Market Street only and does not wrap the Cantonment Street corner. However, a 1910 plan shows buildings wrapping from Cantonment all the way into High Street. The 1910 plan shows this as one building, but plans before and after suggest it was a run of abutting shops in a collection of separate buildings, presenting to the street as one complex, rather than one continuous building. A 1913 p

Condition

Fair.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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