Alexander Buildings

Child Places

• 18084 Clarke's Building

Statement of Significance

Alexander Buildings is a substantial example of a 1938 Interwar Art Deco refurbishment and renaming of the Federation period, Broadway Building. It is a landmark at the important intersection of Walcott and Beaufort Streets. Simon Alexander was responsible for the design and construction of the Broadway Building and his son was responsible for its adaptation into the Alexander Buildings. The history, form, style and landmark qualities of the Alexander Buildings complement the Lyceum Buildings opposite, now the Astor Cinema, also designed, developed and adapted by Simon and John Alexander. These landmark buildings have long been considered the heart of the Mt Lawley town centre.

Physical Description

Prominent two storey commercial building with modern (c. 1990's) single storey extension and arcade built to reflect the original. The original Federation period façade was substantially adapted in 1938 with Art Deco elements including stylised low relief ornament with strong horizontal banding, and a stepped parapet that reinforces the corner and steel framed windows and new shopfronts. Prominent corner location. Zero setback to both street fronts and faceted corner. Restoration in 1990s. Single storey extension

History

Beaufort Street was the main thoroughfare to the rapidly developing residential areas of Highgate and immediate surrounds. Mixed residential and commercial development spread along the street, encouraged by the construction of the tramline from the Barrack Street jetty to Walcott Street, completed in 1902. The first shop on the southwest corner of Beaufort and Walcott Streets, on Perth Town Lot N148, was built c.1898, with a Beaufort Street frontage. The subject place at Nos. 71-77 was occupied by residential dwellings in the early twentieth century. The Post Office Directories first listed Taylor Brothers (G. M. & A. R.), paint and white ant exterminator manufacturers, as the occupants at the subject place along Walcott Street in 1901, however no street number was located. By 1910, three residents are listed at the subject place whom included George Bracey, electrical engineer at No. 1, R.O. Collins at No. 3 and Frederick Mitchell at No. 7.x In 1911, owner and builder Simon Bremner Alexander redeveloped the corner site with the construction of the Broadway Building (later known as Alexander Building), a two-storey shopping and residential building which addressed both street frontages. Directly opposite, on the northwest corner, he built the Lyceum Building, which housed shops, the Lyceum Theatre (now the Astor) and a picture garden. Both buildings were constructed in Federation Free Classical style. In 1917, the shopping and residential building at the subject place changed their street numbers from Nos. 1-7 to Nos. 71-77. The then occupiers included Thomas Armstrong and Mrs. A. E. Armstrong at No. 71, Mrs. A. Hall at No. 73 and George Worth at No. 77. Simon Bremner Alexander, who also built the Fremantle Railway Station buildings, Perth Modern School, additions to the WA Museum and the Police Court buildings in Beaufort Street, died in 1933, and his wife Jane inherited the Broadway and Lyceum buildings. In 1938, John Douglas Alexander, the son of Simon Bremner Alexander, submitted an application to the City of Perth to refurbish both buildings and gave them an art deco style façade. John Douglas Alexander was the builder of the refurbishment and the architect was R. Summerhayes. The subject place was owned under the name S. B. Alexander Estate at that time. In the same year, the Broadway Building was renamed the Alexander Building. The original building plans for the refurbishment reveal that residential quarters were proposed to be built at the rear of two existing shops. By 1949, the subject place were occupied by R. Crooks (electronic shop at No. 71), E. F. Wagland (fruiter at No. 71A), E. H. Davies (boot repairer at No. 73), Dooke's (Dry cleaners at No. 75) and Mrs. Babette Augustin at No. 77. The Alexander Building has been refurbished in recent years in keeping with the development of this section of Beaufort Street as the entertainment and coffee strip in the heart of Mount Lawley.

Integrity/Authenticity

Intact above ground floor. Redeemable ground floor.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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