THE restoration of Wallpaper World, one of Northbridge’s landmark buildings, is expected to provide impetus for the rejuvenation of Newcastle Street.
Built in 1907, the building is the subject of a $450,000 refurbishment as part of the East Perth Redevelopment Authority’s Village Northbridge Project. Heritage architect Phil Griffiths, of Consadine & Griffiths, believes the finished product will encourage nearby building owners to upgrade their own properties.
“There has been a bit of a turnaround in attitudes to heritage buildings,” Mr Griffiths said.
“People don’t need much encouragement to do up their buildings ... often (government authorities) just need to give people a bit of a lead on what to do.
“A good example of this is Oxford Street in Leederville. Years ago the City of Perth put in car parking and did some street scaping ... people took heart and began to redevelop the street themselves.”
The restoration program for Wallpaper World includes soil remediation works, brickwork restoration, replacement of the rusted and leaking roof and the installation of new plumbing and wiring.
The interior of the building also will be refurbished. The first works involved the scraping off of eight layers of wallpaper, which Wallpaper World owner Stan Gervas used to put up each season to display the latest designs.
Once completed, the building – on the corner of Newcastle and Fitzgerald Streets – will be sold by EPRA.
