Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Art Deco gem in Moonee Ponds

Is it because the Art Deco architects were not locked in to symmetry that they were able to use interesting solutions for awkward shaped and corner blocks?  This pair of houses occupies a triangular block on a bend in Trinafour Street, Moonee Ponds.  The contrast of the decorative brickwork with the stark white render, along with the interesting shapes of the walls, makes these two very engaging houses.











The decorative motif around the windows is quite striking.











The small windows on either side of the chimney with a fan-shaped leadlight design are really gorgous.












Pyramid-shaped roofs was a feature of the "Moderne" style of architecture.


Thursday, July 22, 2010

Unit One film crew in Essendon

A Unit One film crew is ensconced in the Raleigh Street car park at Windy Hill. What are they filming, we wonder?

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Let's do some more Art Deco

This Art Deco two-storey building on the corner of Fletcher and Nicholson Streets, Essendon, makes a triumph out of a narrow frontage to Fletcher Street with a bold frontage to Nicholson Street.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Oh no! Not the giraffes!

The Moonee Valley Leader reports that two of the three giraffes at Poynton's have been stolen! 

How could any thief sink so low?

Sunday, July 4, 2010

The Schools that ate Moonee Ponds

Another large and prominent property in Moonee Ponds has fallen into the capacious property portfolio of a local school. Rumour has it that Hillebrand's tennis centre in Park Street, Moonee Ponds, has been purchased by Lowther Hall CEGGS.  A house in Sherbourne Street said to be owned by Lowther Hall has recently been demolished.  The school reputedly owns other houses in Sherbourne Street.

Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School Park Street campus is busy purchasing properties in Park Street and Ardmillan Road, and St Columba's is snapping up houses in Buckley Street and Lorraine Street.

It can't be long before they all meet in the middle.

Rather more insidious than property developers, these schools are quietly chewing up our suburbs - perfectly good homes are now empty awaiting the implementation of some Master Plan. 

Is any responsible planning body taking note, I wonder?  Do we want three super-campuses in the centre of Moonee Ponds/Essendon?  Is three enough? 

Where is Save Our Suburbs now?