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Glen Iris Shopping Centre Precinct
High Street GLEN IRIS, Stonnington City

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Statement of Significance

The High Street shopping precinct is located in High Street, Glen Iris, immediately to the east of the intersection with Malvern Road. The area is under consideration comprises approximately thirty shops all of which were constructed during the short preiod between the early 1920s and the early 1930s

The area is especially significant as a well preserved example of an interwar shopping precinct. The historical significance of the site lies with its strategic siting between the High Street tram terminus and the Glen Iris station of the Glen Waverley railway l ine. The site clearly demonstrates the importance of public transport in the development of the area as a whole. The precinct is also adjacent to the significant Ranfurlie, Valentines and Viewbank estates, which were substantially developed as suburban housing allotments during the interwar period. The success of the strip was intimately tied to the development of these housing estates.

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    • Physical Description 1

      Glen Iris Shopping Centre Precinct - Physical Description 1

      The High Street shopping precinct is located in High Street, Glen Iris, immediately to the east of the intersection with Malvern Road. The area under consideration comprises approximately thirty shops which occupy a steeply-graded site sloping towards the nearby Gardiner's Creek.

      The shopping precinct is located at the intersection of two busy arterial roads, close to the end of the Glen Iris tram line. The South Easter Freeway and the Glen Waverley suburban railway line are located to the east. However, despite its location at the confluence of various suburban transportation routes, the district enjoys views westward to leafy Glen Iris and eastward to the reserves near the Gardiner's Creek that deny its bustling suburban location.

      This section of High Street is surfaced in bitumen with modern, concrete kerbs and gutters and footpaths constructed of bitumen. The area is devoid of landscaping and dense with roadside furniture such as poles for traffic lights, signage and overhead lighting.

      The rapid development of the shopping precinct though the 1920s and early 1930s produced an unusual homogeneity within the area and the precinct draws from a narrow range of architectural styles. The buildings in the area are all shops, in face or rendered brick and often with dwelling or storage spaces above. Construction is invariably simple with architectural ornamentation usually taking the form of faience or decorative treatments to parapets. Roofs are generally of Marseilles patterned tiles and, surprisingly, these are the font of much of the architectural expression of the group. Nos 1606, 1616 and 1620-1624 all feature an oversized parapet which is broken in the centre, allowing the tiled roof to spill through the gap to form an awning, supported on timber brackets, above the first floor windows. These unusual design elements often feature ornate detailing to the brackets and parapet openings.

      Local Historical Themes

      Glen Iris Shopping Centre Precinct - Local Historical Themes

      7.1 Serving local communities

      4.4 Railways

      4.5 Tramways

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Heritage Study and Grading

      Stonnington - City of Stonnington Heritage Overlay Report (Stages 1-5) 1998

      Author: Bryce Raworth P/L
      Year: 1998
      Grading: Various

Public contributions

Note: Developments may span multiple time periods
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