BUSY BUILDERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 29 July 1933, Page 3

BUSY BUILDERS

MLLBOUuNI: ACHY’TITUS BACK TO 102(1 LEVEL VISITOR'S IMFR ESS lONS That with costs down 30 per cent, on pre-depression rates, building operations m Melbourne arc hack to the peak level of 1926, was an opinion expressed by Mr I). F. Cowell limn, who returned to Brisbane recently from a visit to Victoria extending over several weeks. In the city proper one linn is spending AM50,000 on an emporium next to the general post office on Botirko street. Two rival firms with branches in several capitals are pulling down their old Melbourne premises and replacing them with much larger structures, and, in fact, this process of demolition and replacement is going ou in many directions. A quite remarkable feature is the number of Hat buildings that have been erected and are being erected in several quarters, notably in the direction of Tooralc and Malvern, said MS* Ham. One man who spent £25,000 on a palatial house and grounds at Tooralc 10 years ago, is now surrounded by a great aggregation of middle-class flat dwellers, and, while the invasion lias so far affected only a- portion of Melbourne's most exclusive residential areas, there is a feeling that it will extend rapidly. As a considerable number of flat dwellers must involve a shopping area the whole aspect of the district is threatened with material change.

Much, of the activity witnessed Air limn ascribes' to the preparations for the Melbourne centenary celebrations next year, and the enthusiasm naturally occasioned by tho gift of £IOO.OOO by Sir M. Alacliobertson, besides gifts by other public-spirited citizens for various purposes connected with tho centenary. A prize of £IOOO has been offered for the best design for a new bridge over the Yarra, a high school for girls and a theatre of youth, to bo covered by the Alacliobertson donation.

In the outer suburbs some very line .mansions are being erected, the area extending through Camberwell, Deepdenc and out to Glen Iris. Some of these are costing many thousands of pounds and are very complete and beautiful. In addition to tlie all-round improvement in the outlook and the effect of the centenary preparations, Air Ham attributes a considerable measure of the renewed activity in Melbourne to the political disquietude which arose in New South Wales some time ago, and which lie believes to have caused tlie permanent transfer of capital, industry and people across the border.