Perth Voice Interactive

IN a rare event the owner of 16 Queen Street in the CBD has volunteered the building for heritage listing with Perth city council.

The Chicagoesque building started life as a flour mill but restorations in the 1960s covered up much of the original material.

When Venn gallery and cafe moved in back in 2010 it sought to restore the building, uncovering original elements and picking up three honours from the Design Institute of Australia. It retains original pressed-tin ceilings, polished floorboards, steel beams, a timber staircase and feature doors and windows.

“It’s significant that the owners have asked to be on the heritage list,” Perth councillor Judy McEvoy says. “A lot of people don’t want to be on the heritage list, so this is extremely important.”

“It’s a beautiful building in a street full of many beautiful heritage properties,” says Cr Reece Harley.

Nearby, King Street is subject to a more widespread heritage conservation area, making sure developments fit in with the old-timey 1920s feel.

Efforts to apply the same protection to Queen Street were floated in 2006, and that plan now may be revived.

The council’s well aware the clock’s ticking and when the Northbridge Link project draws to completion the land will be all the more desirable, so it’s resolved to investigate a conservation area for the street next financial year.

The PCC has a slew of encouragement bonuses for anyone with a heritage-listed building. In this case the owner could claim up to $100,000 in grants, awards, and a 10 per cent rates concession.

Another big bonus allows owners of heritage properties to transfer extra storeys they could otherwise build there: keeping a two-storey heritage building in an area that normally allows 10 storeys can see development rights for the eight foregone storeys transferred to another site (or on-sold).

This week the downstairs Venn bar, cafe and shop closed, with the gallery remaining upstairs.

Local small bar hero Andy Freeman will take over the vacant area with The Flour Mill, a venue paying homage to the early beginnings of the building. Mr Freeman’s been responsible for the award-winning Luxe Bar, Varnish on King and Darlings Supper Club.

by DAVID BELL