Melbourne Town Hall’s $4.5m revamp to include ‘democratic forum’

Melbourne Town Hall is about to undergo a $4.5 million refurbishment that will include a redesign of the ground floor administration area into a “democratic forum”, providing better access and comfort to the public.

Melbourne Town Hall is set for a $4.5 million refurbishment that will include a redesign of the ground floor administration area into a “democratic forum”.

Some council meetings that are currently held on upper levels in cramped rooms will occur in the new space, providing better access and comfort to the public.

A pilot project to revamp the area, which includes a customer service section, will start later this year.

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Lord Mayor Sally Capp said big investment was needed to restore and refurbish the 148-year-old building.

Melbourne Town Hall’s administrative entrance is set for redevelopment. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“What we would like to see is a new public forum for our key decision-making meetings to allow more people to attend and participate in the democratic process,” she said.

“There would also be a ­revamped customer service area to provide an improved experience for residents, ratepayers and visitors.”

A temporary public forum will be created first and the project is due to be finished in 2025. Works to restore other parts of Town Hall over the next six years will be considered after the pilot project.

The revamp is part of ­capital works investments to be announced on Thursday in the City of Melbourne’s 2019-20 Budget.

Also allocated is $1.6 million towards refurbishing the iconic Regent Theatre together with the state government and Marriner Group.

An artist’s impression of the refurbished ground floor in the Town Hall administrative building.

The heritage-listed theatre, which opened in 1929, was bought by the council in 1970 and faced demolition a few years later.

It was restored in the 1990s by the Marriner Group.

Cr Capp said the Regent was one of three interwar ­picture palaces in Melbourne, seating more than 2100.

“The investment will be put towards improvements to the dress circle, seating, public amenities and the entrance on to Collins St, to ensure the 90-year-old Regent Theatre continues to be one of ­Melbourne’s premier venues,” she said.

The City of Melbourne Budget will allocate $1.6 million to the refurbishment of the Regent Theatre on Collins St.

Chair of council’s arts, culture and heritage portfolio, Cr Rohan Leppert, said protecting Melbourne’s heritage was a key focus as the city continued to grow.

“We’ve worked with the Victorian government to introduce interim heritage overlays for several individual sites and precincts in the Hoddle Grid, Southbank and the iconic Guildford and Hardware lanes area,” he said.

“This year we will continue this work, implementing the Hoddle Grid Heritage Review and the Carlton Heritage ­Review, and commissioning reviews of North Melbourne and South Yarra.”

Last year, the council set up a $600,000 multi-year fund to support the restoration of heritage buildings.

Public submissions to the council’s budget and annual plan will be open from Friday.

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