Prison turns into a hotel
Plans are underway to turn Pentridge Prison, Victoria’s historic prison, into a hotel.
Pentridge had the maddest and baddest of prisoners. The remains of bushranger Ned Kelly were buried there. Other inmates included the last man to be hanged in Australia, Ronald Ryan, standover man Mark "Chopper" Read, police killer William O'Meally who became the last man flogged with the cat-o'-nine-tails as a punishment, Julian Knight who killed seven people in Hoddle Street in 1987, and Russell Street bomber Craig Minogue who took a dislike to fellow inmate businessman-turned-killer Alex Tsakmakis and caved in his head in with a pillow case filled with weights.
All this will be replaced with Adina apartment hotel.
Developer Shayher Group has announced that TFE Hotels will operate the 120-apartment hotel in Coburg, just eight kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD.
Cox Architecture, renowned for its work on delicate heritage projects including Hepburn Spa, will create a contemporary architectural design that fits in with the property’s distinct and remarkable heritage.
The complex will also offer a further nine levels of accommodation, a level for communal facilities and six levels of residential apartments.
TFE Hotels CEO Rachel Argaman said the development would preserve some of Australia’s history and provide a way for the public to share in some of the stories at Pentridge.
“This site speaks to a rich history and we believe locals and visitors from overseas will be intrigued to learn about Australia’s penal past,” Ms Argaman told The Urban Developer.
“Hotels provide a great way to preserve the history of heritage-listed buildings, allowing unique and memorable experiences for guests who learn and experience aspects of that rich past.”
She said the Shayher Group will obtain relevant planning and heritage approvals and we will be working closely with the Moreland City Council and Heritage Victoria.
“We are also working with the community to involve local stakeholders in aspects relating to the transformation of the site, with a recent community open day attracting around 3000 interested people,’’ she said.
by Leon Gettler, August 3rd 2016
