Imperial Arcade, Sydney facts for kids

The Imperial Arcade was a large shopping and business building in Sydney, Australia. It was designed by a famous architect named Thomas Rowe. The arcade opened in 1891. Today, the Westfield Sydney shopping centre stands where the Imperial Arcade once was.

History of the Imperial Arcade

Building the Arcade

The idea for the Imperial Arcade came from a new company called Imperial Arcade Company Ltd. They wanted to build a very big arcade in the middle of Sydney. It would connect Pitt Street to Castlereagh Street. This kind of large arcade had not been built in Australia before.

To get money for the project, the company sold shares to the public. They hoped to earn a good profit from the arcade. The company bought land on both Pitt Street and Castlereagh Street.

Several architects competed to design the building. Thomas Rowe, a well-known Sydney architect, won the design contest.

Opening Day and Early Years

The Imperial Arcade officially opened on July 16, 1891. The Mayor of Sydney, William Patrick Manning, was there for the opening.

One of the first businesses inside was the Imperial Arcade Hotel. It offered rooms and food. In 1895, you could get a single room for 15 shillings a week. A seven-course lunch cost 2 shillings. People said it was the "best served luncheon in the city."

New Owners and Changes

In 1897, James Joynton Smith became the manager of a coffee palace inside the arcade. Later, he bought the lease for the Arcadia Hotel, which was also in the arcade. He eventually bought the entire property.

In 1919, Smith started a new newspaper called Smith's Weekly. The first 100,000 copies were printed in the basement of the Imperial Arcade.

For a while, the arcade struggled to attract enough businesses. Smith even rented out shops for very low prices just to fill the space.

The Arcade Grows

In 1924, James Joynton Smith bought the last part of the Imperial Arcade he didn't own. This meant he now owned the entire building from Pitt Street to Castlereagh Street.

Soon after, in December 1924, the very first Woolworths store opened in the arcade's basement. There was also a billiard hall and the printing press for Smith's Weekly.

The arcade became much more popular after the David Jones department store opened nearby in 1927. Shoppers started coming through the Imperial Arcade, and business boomed.

Selling the Arcade

In 1941, the Imperial Arcade and its hotels were sold for a large sum of money. A company called Weathermakers Pty Ltd bought it. Later, it was revealed that Burns Philp and Co. Ltd, a large company, was also involved in the purchase.

Demolition and What Came Next

In 1960, there were plans to knock down the Imperial Arcade. The idea was to build a much taller, modern office building in its place.

The original Imperial Arcade building was demolished in 1961.

A new building, also called the Imperial Arcade, was built on the same spot. It opened in 1965. This new building had four levels of shops and offices above them.

In 2004, the new Imperial Arcade building was bought by Westfield. They combined it with other nearby properties. This created the huge Westfield Sydney shopping centre that you can see today.

Architecture of the Original Arcade

The Imperial Arcade was designed by Thomas Rowe. It was his third arcade design in Sydney. The building was built between 1889 and 1891. It was designed in the Second Empire style. This style was popular in the 17th century in France.

The arcade was very long, about 333 feet (101 metres). It created a walkway connecting Pitt Street to Castlereagh Street.

The building had seven floors, including the basement. It was about 114 feet (34.75 metres) tall.

The original plan for the building included cafes in the basement. There were 38 shops on the ground floor. The upper floors were used for hotel rooms. The building had two separate hotel areas. One was the "Pitt Street Hotel" with 36 rooms. The other was the "Castlereagh Street Hotel" with 39 rooms.

The building had special "V-shaped areas" in its side walls. These were designed to let in more light and fresh air.

When it first opened, the arcade was painted white and grey. People thought this looked too "cold." So, in 1897, it was redecorated. The new colours were cream and green, with touches of salmon, gold, and red.