Brisbane iconic Stock Exchange Hotel’s future in doubt after U-turn decision

The future of a 161-year-old Brisbane pub hangs in the balance with moves to demolish part of the heritage-listed building.

The Stock Exchange Hotel, Brisbane. Picture: Josh Woning

The future of a 161-year-old iconic Brisbane pub is in doubt after the landowner’s U-turn decision.

A development application was submitted by developer JGL Projects to the Brisbane City Council to extend the proposed area for partial demolition.

The updated plan included a consent form from property owner Archdiocese of Brisbane Planning and Building Director Patrick Lane-Mullins and Archdiocesan Services and Archdiocesan Development Fund Executive Director Andrew Musial.

Urban planner Urbis said the change involved additional demolition of a building section at the rear of the early masonry structure.

The purposed extension for demolition (red) and the approved area for demolition (green).

“The demolition area is approximately 6m in depth by 15m in length across two floors and extends into the roof volume,” it said.

“It is currently utilised as a general bar space of the Exchange Hotel on the ground floor, with the upper floor serving as a bar area and back-of-house storage.”

In a heritage assessment included in the application documents, architect Luke Pendergast said the change would not result in diminution of its heritage value.

“In the areas proposed for extended demolition, no original fabric is visible, nor are any original spatial qualities discernible,” he said.

“Structural alterations have created open spans and wide openings, obscuring any distinction between original and later additions.

“While it is likely that elements of the original structure — such as walls, floors, and roof members — remain concealed behind these unsympathetic modifications, they are no longer evident or intact in their historical context.”

The upper-level of the Edward Street portion of the Exchange Hotel, a section of this area will be demolished as part of the application. Picture: Pendergast Architects

The upper-level of the Edward Street portion of the Exchange Hotel, that will be demolished as part of the application. Picture: Pendergast Architects

The application documents did not include what will ultimately be built on the demolished area.

The plan was first brought out by its former owner MHC Exchange Services in 2016, proposing to demolish nearly 80 per cent of the building, but only around two-third of the structure was approved by the council in 2017.

Archdiocese of Brisbane objected to the proposal at that time, with its then Planning and Building Director Stuart Lummis stating concerns on the structural and aesthetic impact of the demolition on the external walls of nearby Penola Place and Archives Building and no details provided on the final product.

“We feel we are only being told half the story,” Mr Lummis said in a letter.

But after the Archdiocese purchased the building in 2019, it made three applications to extend the currency period of the demolition plan.

Archdiocese told The Courier-Mail their staff were on leave, so the organisation was unable to provide a comment on the matter.

Originally published as Brisbane iconic Stock Exchange Hotel’s future in doubt after U-turn decision