Page 18 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

58. Central Hall/New Central Theatre/The Grosvenor by John Holloway

In 1927, the Trustees of The Collins Street Baptist Church, Melbourne, commissioned the architectural firm of
Messrs. Gawler and Drummond, of 94 Queen Street, Melbourne, to draw up plans for a 9 storey building to
replace an old meeting hall at the rear of the church, facing 203 Little Collins Street, adjacent to the Victoria
Palace Hotel. This was a joint venture between the church and the Victoria Palace. The church leased the land
to the hotel for a term of 65 years, and the entire building was erected by the hotel at their cost ..

The ground and mezzanine level were to be at the disposal of the church for hall and office purposes, while the
hotel occupied the upper seven floors, increasing their capacity by a further 200 bedrooms, In addition to the
number in their present main building. The hotel rooms were linked via a bridge over Baptist Lane, (now called
Baptist Place), on the comer of which the new building was erected. This would appear to have been a very
beneficlal arrangement for the church, especially as the hotel paid an additional 5,000 pounds towards interior
decorations to the hall. Total cost of the building was 100,000 pounds and the work was contracted to the
building firm of Messrs. Weavell and Keast, of Roslyn Street, Brighton Beach.

Before demolition of the old meeting hall could commence at the end of 1928, temporary toilets for the church
had to be provided. Following completion of the new building some 9 months later the toilets were demolished,
and new ante rooms. 8 stories In height. were constructed on to the rear of the church.

The new building, housing the Central Hall. opened In 1929. The facade featured a marble threshold and tiled
walls, polished doors with luxfer glazing, and glazed terra cotta of gothic design, with the name "Central Hall" In
copper letters. A large eleclrlc light pendant flood-lit the entrance and approach. The architectural features of
the walls up to the third floor level were finished in a dull-glazed terra cotta. The floors above this level were
finished with fine washed sand and cemenL

Four small shops, two to the right and two to the left, adjoined the 15 feet wide entrance doors, In the centre of t
the Little Collins Street facade leading to the foyer. The foyer measured 30 feet tong and 16 feet wide, and was

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