Public Opinion
The State Government, Victorian Planning Minister, Justin Madden MP and City of Melbourne have ignored the appeal of thousands of Victorians to save Lonsdale House.
Rally 22nd August, 2009From the Television
ABC1 News Melbourne - August 22, 2009
From the Radio
"The Architects" (RRR) broadcast - August 11, 2009
From the Papers
Melbourne's heritage building Lonsdale House lost to wrecker's ball - George Lekakis. Herald Sun. January 12, 2010
A piece of history is demolished for a slice of retail sameness - Shaun Carney. The Age. July 29, 2009
Memo to Melbourne's planners: if it's fixed, don't break it - Guy Rundle. The Age. August 2, 2009
All Hands on Deco - Ben Butler and Nicole Lindsay. Herald Sun. June 05, 2008
Art Deco Landmark Lonsdale House to be Bulldozed - Jason Dowling. The Age. August 10, 2009
Pleas to preserve Art Deco building - Kate Lahey. The Age. April 9, 2009
Melbourne's reputation to crash with Lonsdale House - Danielle Bowling. Architecture & Design. 18 August 2009
Apple store set to gobble up art deco landmark - Asher Moses. The Age. July 27, 2009
Rally to save Myer's Lonsdale House - The Age. August 22, 2009
How great thou art deco, vocal protestor say - Richard Kendall. Melbourne Times. August 25, 2009
Now showing at a big screen ever nearer you - Kylie Northover. The Age. September 15, 2009
Past tense - Kate Lahey and Jason Dowling. The Age. August 11, 2009
CBD laneways, arcades still up retailers' alley - Philip Hopkins. The Age. October 14, 2009.
New Design "bites" at Lonsdale Houes - Gemma Battenbough. Architecture & Design. November 2, 2009.
Academics
It would be great to think that Melbourne's commercial history of the 1930s was somehow able to be celebrated by one of Melbourne's longest-standing retailers ... I think it is quite regrettable that Lonsdale House should actually go, it was part of that boom commercial Melbourne in the '30s. - Professor Phillip Goad. Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, University of Melbourne and author of the "Guide to Melbourne Architecture".
cosmeticisation of two earlier structures increases rather than reduces its interest - Professor Miles Lewis of the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Architecture, Building & Planning and author of the City of Melbourne publication "Melbourne: the city's history and development".
Letters (to the Editor)
Another nail in the coffin for heritage in the central city - Martin Purslow. National Trust Victoria CEO
WHAT a superficial and non-reflective city Melbourne is becoming. To demolish Lonsdale House and replace it with yet another glass and billboard-boxed shopping plaza is another step towards destroying Melbourne's special character - Bridget Carbines, Fitzroy North
imagine it cleaned up, all extraneous fittings removed, concrete tidied up, fresh paintwork and with double-glazed reflective glass windows - it would look terrific. - Simon Clegg, East Doncaster
I trust that your newly devised diagonal doctrine is a strongly held planning principle and not simply a convenient rationalisation to be brought out when difficult circumstances demand it. - Terry Sawyer, North Carlton
From the Blogosphere
Lonsdale House - Alternatives to Demolition - David Thompson. July 29th, 2009
Lonsdale House Should be Saved - Adam Dimech. August 3rd, 2009
Myer's Emporium Melbourne: chavs rejoice - Daniel P Dykes. July 27, 2009
Call to Arms for Lonsdale House - Sean Fishlock. March 19th, 2009
Lonsdale House - Demolition by Neglect ? - dct66 on Flickr. July 13th, 2009
The wrecking ball #1 - lonsdale house... - analiebe. July 30, 2009
Lonsdale House - highriser. July 28, 2009
whom the gods would destroy... - anthology. July 29, 2009
Protest against the Demolition of Lonsdale House - Katya. August 4th, 2009
Save Lonsdale House! - The Design Files. August 11th, 2009
iDemo - Butterpaper. August 16th, 2009
Demolition on Lonsdale Street - from Citta Beniamino. July 29th, 2009
On Twitter
From the Petition
So many of these beautiful buildings have been destroyed in Melbourne. It is a disgrace that this continues to happen. - Jamie Hancock, Thornbury
Having recently returned to Melbourne from the UK, where most shopping centres are now exact moulds of each other and many beautiful department store buildings have been demolished; I feel strongly against the proposed demolition of Lonsdale House. - Kay Smith, Melbourne
If the Vic Govt allows this demolition - for the purpose of road widening! - then the so called heritage preservation laws are a joke. - Matthew Walker, Northcote
From Photographers
Photographers love Lonsdale House. This is evidenced by the large number of images in the photography scene and on Flickr. Browse the tag "Lonsdale House" and you'll find some stunning images and nothing but positive comments on the building's details, especially its picturesque tower, as a focal point. With the web, photographic tourism is such a growing industry and it would be such a shame to lose such a great subject.
Image Right: Martian Dawn by Mugley from Flickr featuring Lonsdale House