FORTY-STOREY BUILDING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19456, 12 October 1926, Page 9

FORTY-STOREY BUILDING.

A MELBOURNE PROJECT. RESTRICTIONS IN SYDNEY. [FROM OUR OWN COBRESFONDEN.T. J SYDNEY, Sept. 90. A 40-storev building is planned for Melbourne, provided the authorities will permit, its erection. If this is the. case Sydney must take second place so far aS architectural wonders go, for buildings here are now limited to 150 ft. The Height, of Buildings Act was passed in 1912. It was the outcome of a oontroversy at the time over the erection of Culwalla Chambers. The fire brigade authorities objected. There was not enough water pressure and the fire engines of the day could give.no promise of pumping water beyond 200 ft.. The Health authorities objected too. For, with narrow streets, high buildings excluded light. It was even suggested that streets running cast and west might permit of skyscrapers in the real sense of the word, whereas those running north to south, least accessible to the sun's rays, plight bo restricted to the lowest limits. But law would warrant no distinction, so the 150 ft. limit was fixed. It has remained so ever since. In a sense it is antiquated—-so far ,as it has to do with land values. The high price of properties in city areas necessitates "building in the air" if building is to be made a profitable investment. Land valued at £2OOO and £3OOO a foot to-day oould probably bo bought for a third of the sum 14 years ago. That is whete the limit of heights of buildings appears to require revision. :