Broadway Hotel, Woolloongabba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Broadway Hotel |
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Broadway Hotel, 2012
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| Location | 93 Logan Road, Woolloongabba, City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s – 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1889 – c. 1942 |
| Architect | John Hall & Son |
| Official name: Broadway Hotel | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600354 |
| Significant period | 1880s, 1940s (fabric) 1890-ongoing (historical use) |
| Significant components | pavilion, furniture/fittings, air raid shelter, tower |
| Builders | Wooley & Whyte |
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The Broadway Hotel was a famous old hotel in Woolloongabba, Brisbane, Australia. It was designed by John Hall & Son and built between 1889 and 1942 by Wooley & Whyte. This building was so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register in 1992. This means it was officially recognised as a special historical place. Sadly, after years of being empty and damaged, a big fire destroyed most of the hotel in September 2018.
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What is the Broadway Hotel?
The Broadway Hotel was a large, three-storey building made of brick. It stood on a very noticeable corner at Logan Road and Balaclava Street in Woolloongabba. It was built in a fancy style called late Victorian architecture. This style was popular in the late 1800s and used lots of decorative details.
How was the hotel designed?
The hotel was designed to catch people's attention. It had a tall, eight-sided tower with a pointy top, which stood out above the roof. The building had many different window shapes and decorative brickwork. It looked a bit like grand old pubs you might see in England.
The roof was partly hidden by special gables, which are the triangular parts of a wall under a sloping roof. There were also two brick chimneys. The main side of the hotel, facing Logan Road, had a big central section with a porch on the second floor.
The side facing Balaclava Street also had decorative gables. At street level, there were doorways that led into the different bar areas of the hotel. There was also a smaller, one-storey extension attached to the main building.
What was inside the hotel?
The ground floor of the hotel was where the public bars and common rooms were located. The two floors above had rooms for guests, sitting areas, and bathrooms. The walls and ceilings inside were plastered, and the floors were made of timber.
The main bar area was a large room with a timber bar. The walls were covered with timber panels. The windows and doors had high-quality timber frames. The upper floors kept their original layout with wide corridors. These corridors had timber floors and decorative plaster ceilings.
The rooms on the second floor were generally larger and had nicer fittings. One special room on the second floor had a fancy timber fireplace. Many of the internal doors had four panels and small windows above them that could open. French doors with glass panels opened onto the verandahs.
What other buildings were on the site?
Behind the main hotel building, there was an open pavilion. This pavilion had three sides with arched openings. It was made of strong brick and had a corrugated iron roof.
In one corner of the property, there was a small, one-storey concrete building. This building had two simple wooden doors. It is believed that this might have been an air raid shelter, built to protect people during wartime.
A Look at the Hotel's Past
The Broadway Hotel was built between 1889 and 1890 for a man named Michael McKenna. He was a well-known pub owner in Brisbane. The architects, John Hall & Son, were very famous in Brisbane at the time. They designed many other hotels and important buildings.
Why was the hotel built there?
The hotel was built in a great spot, close to a busy intersection. In the late 1880s, the areas around Woolloongabba were growing fast. More people were moving there because of new train and tram lines. The tram line along Logan Road opened in 1887.
The new Broadway Hotel was designed to be very grand. It wanted to attract all the people travelling between Brisbane and the eastern suburbs. It quickly became a well-known landmark in the area.
Who stayed at the hotel?
When the hotel opened in 1890, it advertised that it was perfect for visitors from the countryside. It offered excellent rooms, including single and double bedrooms, bathrooms, and drawing rooms. Everything inside was luxurious and comfortable. The hotel also had "Extensive and Superior Stabling" for horses. Trams and buses passed by every five minutes, making it easy to get around.
Who owned and managed the hotel?
Michael McKenna owned and ran the hotel until 1903. After that, he leased it to different people. In 1917, he sold the property to a brewing company. From 1949 to the early 1980s, a couple named Ron and Ivy Hogarth were in charge.
In the mid-1980s, the hotel was bought by a new company. In 1987, it was leased to another company that started to renovate it.
What happened in recent years?
In 1998, a doctor named Malcolm Nyst bought the hotel. Later, in 2010, a former football player, Carl Ditterich, and his family took over managing the hotel. They even started a farmers' market in the car park.
Sadly, in July 2010, a fire badly damaged the hotel. It was not fully insured, so only basic repairs were done. The hotel stayed closed after that. In 2014, it was put up for sale. In 2018, a plan to build a tall apartment building on the site was stopped because people in the community did not agree with it.
Then, on 2 September 2018, another fire destroyed most of the building. Police investigated to find out what caused the fire.
Why is the Broadway Hotel important?
The Broadway Hotel is important for several reasons, which is why it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register.
Showing Queensland's history
The hotel shows us how Queensland grew, especially during the "boom era" of the 1880s. This was a time when many new buildings were constructed. It also shows how areas like Woolloongabba developed as the tram system expanded.
A great example of its kind
The Broadway Hotel is a good example of a large, brick hotel from the 1880s in Brisbane. It was designed to be a local landmark and to attract both local customers and visitors from out of town. Even with some changes, it still showed what hotels of its type were like.
Beautiful and noticeable
The hotel was a very well-designed building. It made the area of Woolloongabba look special and was a well-known landmark along Logan Road. Its design made it stand out.
Linked to famous architects
The Broadway Hotel is also important because it was designed by the well-known Brisbane architects, John Hall & Son. It is believed that a famous architect named John Smith Murdoch, who worked for their firm, was responsible for its design.
