Empire Buildings
The Empire Buildings , also often referred to as the Empire Building, are a group of heritage listed buildings on the corner of Stirling Terrace and York Street overlooking Princess Royal Harbour in Albany in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.
Empire Buildings | |
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![]() Empire Building on the corner of York Street and Stirling Terrace | |
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General information | |
Type | Heritage listed buildings |
Location | Albany, Western Australia |
Coordinates | 35.02672°S 117.88394°E |
Type | State Registered Place |
Designated | 7 December 2007 |
Part of | Stirling Terrace Precinct, Albany (14922) |
Reference no. | 77 |
![](../I/Empire_Building_facade.jpg.webp)
![](../I/Empire_Buildings_Albany.JPG.webp)
The buildings were constructed in 1912,[1] and once comprised a group of shops and a cinema. The buildings have elements of Federation Free Style architectural design such as asymmetry and use of two contrasting building materials of brick and cement render.[2]
Replacing a single storied bungalow structure that faced York Street,[1] the Empire theatre was designed by architect Tom Anthoness and was built by J. Ashman and Warner.[3] Initially the building held a theatre and shops. The theatre was able to hold 1,000 people.[1] The theatre cost £5,000 and was owned and operated by West's Picture Company. It boasted refreshment stalls, a winter garden for ladies and a spacious dress circle.[4]
Features of the two storey building include a corner entrance, asymmetrical facade, parapet wall concealing roof, informal groupings of windows, gabled pediment and decorative skyline features.[1]
In 2000 a portion of the building was converted to a nightclub.[2] It was closed for some time and reopened to include a bar on the ground floor in 2006.[5]
References
- "Empire Buildings". Heritage Council of Western Australia. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
- "City of Albany Municipal Heritage Inventory Review Volume III of IV" (PDF). City of Albany. 1994. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
- "The Advertiser". Albany Advertiser. XXIV (3097). Western Australia. 26 October 1912. p. 3. Retrieved 15 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
- "Princess Pavilion". WA Cinemaweb. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
- "Albany council approves nightclub re-opening". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 21 August 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2016.