Claremont Crescent Commercial Heritage Precinct

Child Places

• 25594 Shop
• 25817 Shop
• 25858 Shop
• 25816 Shop
• 25818 Shop
• 25842 Shop
• 25843 Shop
• 25817 Shop
• 25593 Shop
• 25857 Shop

Statement of Significance

•The precinct has significance for its contribution 10 the character of the area and sense of place for the local community . •It demonstrates the evolution of the locality, typical of commercial development adjacent to a suburban railway station. •The precinct includes some good examples of typical commercial architecture of the era. •The pine trees on Claremont Crescent and other mature tree plru1tings have import. nt landmark value. •The precinct continues to play an important role in the local community in terms of its contribution to the physical character of the area, as well us an focal point for community interaction identity. •No. 119 along with No. 123 Claremont Crescent - the News agency and shop with residence - is significant due to its continuous use as a news agency and the building demonstrates a high degree of authenticity. Aesthetic Value The precinct has significance for its contribution to the character and sense of place for the local community. The shopping precinct is built on a high point of the local topography and on the crest of the road. I n particular the Norfolk Island pine trees on Claremont Crescent have important landmark value as they can be seen from all direct ions. The architecture along Claremont Crescent, collectively demonstrates the progression of development closely mirroring the original subdivision pattern . Historic Value A largely intact collection of original shops. Demonstrates the evolution of the local i ty, typical of commercial development adjacent to a railway station. It demonstrates traditional nodal commercial development that accompanied suburban expansion facilitated by the railway. Social Value Of importance to the local community since original suburban development as a node of activity that provides a place for convenience shopping and social interaction, as well as community information th rough the existence of a public notice board. A geographical and social focal point for the local community, integral to thei r sense of place. Rarity An important element of traditional railway precincts is the pedestrian scale and accessibility. This precinct is quite unusual in that it has significant amounts of commercial development remaining on both sides of the railway, centred around the railway station and road bridge, and that development is easily accessible from both sides of the railway . This is in contrast to other suburban railway centres such as Claremont, Fremantle, and Midland, and even Maylands and Bayswater, where shops exist on just one side of the railway line and access from the other side is more difficult. Such nodal development associated with railways is now a thing of the past, as the physical form of commercial development and modern town planning controls favour its location on major roads and vehicle routes. Modern railway development, as demonstrated by the northern suburbs railway, is of a scale and co-located with other transport routes such that nodal commercial development at railway stations is not possible. Representativeness The linear arrangement of shops, the local nature of the shopping, the small parks around the railway station, the pedestrian scale and the important tree planting, are typical elements of interwar suburban shopping development at a railway station. The precinct demonstrates the typical arrangement of early Perth suburban shopping around the principal public transport node - the local railway station, at a time when private vehicle ownership was not widespread. Condition The condition of the precinct is generally sound to good. There is evidence of ongoing maintenance and pride in the street by the tenants, and of recent upgrading of some premises and the introduction of uses such as contemporary coffee shops that tend to be indicative of revitalisation . Upgrading of the street parking has conscientiously retained the pine trees in Claremont Crescent, indicating an appreciation of their aesthetic and landmark qualities. Similarly, the design of entry statements in the form of round-a-bouts at each end of the Claremont Crescent strip has used local materials and planting in keeping with the period of origin of the buildings. Integrity Integrity is generally high, as demonstrated by the continuation of shopping functions to the present day. There is some evidence that some of the businesses have been in the area for many years. In particular the newsagency at No. 1 19 has been in existence since the shop was built in l93I. There has been a recent and continuing renaissance of traditional strip shopping centres which bodes well for the on-going viability of centres such as Swanbourne. The location at the railway station, continued proximity to residences and availability of both on and off street car parking are all vital ingredients. As always, however, these small centres are vulnerable to the vagaries of the retail economy, in particular to competition from larger, car based shopping centres. The conservation of the original character of the buildings and enhancement of the precinct could be one important way of assisting this centre to reinforce its point-of-difference from other shopping opportunities. Authenticity Many of the original buildings remain substantially as built, so authenticity is relatively high. Some alterations and modifications have been made that lessen the authenticity of some fabric. For example, some original verandahs and awnings have been replaced, although on the whole the replacements are similar to those that they replaced. Most shop fronts have been modified to a greater or lesser extent. Most buildings still have intact pediment s and decorative elements above shop front level.

Physical Description

The Swanbournc shopping Precinct straddles the Perth -Fremantle railway line in the vicinity of the Congdon Street bridge and Swanbournc Railway Station, approximately 9km west of the Perth city centre. The location is shown in Figure I . The railway line coincides with the municipal boundary between the Town of Claremont and the Town of Cottesloe. This assessment considers only the buildings on the northern, (Town of Claremont) side in detail. Today the shopping centre extends along Claremont Crescent between Franklin and Saladin Streets. Location and Context The Swanbournc shopping Precinct straddles the Perth - Fremantle railway line in the vicinity of the Congdon Street bridge and Swanbourne Railway Station, approximately 9km west of the Perth city centre. The location is shown in Figure I . The railway line coincides with the municipal boundary between the Town of Claremont and the Town of Cottesloe. This assessment considers only the buildings on the northern, (Town of Claremont) side in detail, although from both functional and urban form viewpoints there is a high degree of interrelatedness and synergy between this group and the commercial properties on Railway Street, on the south side of the railway. The southern side includes a small formal park with mature plantings, that complements the large pine trees lining the southern verge of Claremont Crescent. Pedestrian and vehicular access between the two sides is over a road bridge that crosses the railway line. Pedestrian access to the railway station is from Railway Street. Extent of Assessment Figure 2 shows the properties detailed in the assessment. Today, the shopping centre extends along Claremont Crescent between Franklin and Saladin Streets. I n the past, the Swanbournc Hotel fanned part of the group but that building, on the north-west comer of Claremont Crescent and Franklin Streets, was demolished in 1999 and a residential development is under construction on tl1e site. The assessment is primarily a physical assessment based on external viewing and building record s. The interiors of the buildings have not been inspected and no attempt has been made to determine the social history of the buildings in any detail, therefore associations with prominent persons or other similar significance cannot be assumed to exist or not exist. Title Details The specific properties under consideration comprise ten primary lots (small party wall lots are not counted) between Franklin and Saladin Streets. All lots are in private ownership. Note that the street numbers are present day street numbers. It appears from the record s that numbering may have changed over the years, possibly as a result of the amalgamation of some shops (for example, records were found for a number 121, which has since been absorbed into the premises at I I 9 and so no longer exists).

History

Assessment 2009 Subdivision History Subdivision in this part of the metropolitan region appears to have commenced in earnest in the early I 880's. Records held in the Town of Claremont Museum refer to land sales in 1883 of 10 lots between Shenton Road and Claremont Crescent" on Location 624. 111e exact position of this land can not be determined from these records, but it is likely it was further east, near the Claremont townsite. 1 A map dated 1896 shows Swan Location 1070 (then Lot 1070) on its western limit. Presumably, Lot 1069 also existed at that time. Swan Locations I 069 and I 070 were eventually further subdivided to create, amongst others, the lots now occupied by the Claremont Crescent shops. An undated map (annotated "1880/1890?") held at the Town of Claremont Museum shows Lot. I 069 subdivided into 6 similar superlots and Lot. 1070 split vertically into two lots. The roads dividing these superlots can be recognised as Franklin, Ottway, and Rob Roy Streets (Lot. 1069) and Saladin Street (Lot. I 070). The gazettal date of these roads is marked on the map as 13 May 1905. The section of Claremont Crescent west of Australind Street is marked as being gazetted on 19 April 1934. Presumably these gazettals refer to the naming of the streets, rather than the creation. Saladin and Rob Roy Streets are named after steam ships that once ran between Fremantle and the north west of the State.1 Claremont Crescent already existed as Railway Street prior to this date. The change of name was presumably to avoid confusion with the street of the same name on the south side of the railway line. A map dated 31/12/1903 by G.A. Harris CE and published by C.H. Evans Estate Agent shows Lots 79-84 Railway Street (now Claremont Crescent) and Lots 75-78 Franklin Street. Lots 77 and 78 Franklin Street and Lots 79-81 Railway Street were subsequently further subdivided to create Lois I , 2, 5, S - 1 1 and the right-of­ way serving them. It is known from the current title for Lot 2 that it existed in its present form by 1922, when it was transferred to William Moody (a fanner, of Cottesloe). 111is is the earliest title still current for the subject land. The Perth to Fremantle railway line was built in 1881 and precipitated much new suburban development along its length. A railway station was built at the current location of Swanbournc Station in I 904. Being close to Congdon Street, it was originally known as Congdon Street Station. In the 1911-1912 financial year, the station was renamed Osborne, no doubt after the Osborne Hotel which at that time was a popular spot perched high above the Swan River nearby, albeit a lengthy walk away. At thi s time, the station had a station master and an assistant. It was a passenger stop in 192 I , with male and female conveniences, but no island platfom1 (indicating it was not a major station). A 1922 sales map for "Grange Estate" shows Congdon Street Station, no doubt to emphasise the convenience of the location for commuters. Interestingly, a sales map for " Swanbournc " subdivision does not show the station, but indicates a "proposed platform" at Eric Street. The name of the station was eventua lly changed to Swanbournc. Development History The development history of the lots is based on Town of Claremont building records and is almost certainly incomplete. There is documentary evidence, in some cases contained within the building licenses themselves, of earlier development on some of the lots. The records are shown in Table I . The earliest building licence found was dated 1929, being the house on the comer of Franklin Street and Claremont Crescent, although there was certainly some development there earlier, as evidenced by U1e plumber's workshop indicated on the plans. A student report held by the Claremont Museum contains anecdotal information gathered from some long standing residents, that a cinema at one time (c. l 920's) existed on the comer of Congdon Street and Railway Street on the opposite side of the railway.) This building has been replaced by a modem office building, but the existence of the cinema in the area suggests that the area must have supported a reasonably large population, no doubt supplemented by recreational visitors. Material relating to the former Swanbournc Hotel (opened in 1940) indicated that it was once a popular accommodation for country visitors in Perth for the Royal Show, visiting sons at nearby Scotch College, or the Irwin Army Barracks. Whilst the study focuses on the shopping strip along the northern side of Claremont Crescent, the precinct includes the trees along the southern side of Claremont Crescent., the commercial buildings on the soutJ1ern side of Railway Street, the park on the north side of Railway Street, and the railway line through a cutting in the centre. The small formal park on Railway Street has mature plantings that complement the large pine trees that line Claremont Crescent. Together and separately, these plantings are significant features of the landscape which can be viewed from some distance away due to their height and the topography . See figures 3-6.

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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