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Walsh's Building facts for kids

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Walsh's Building
Former Walsh's Building Perth.JPG
The Walsh's Building after the 2010–12 renovation
Alternative names Economic Store Building
General information
Type
  • Retail
  • Office
Architectural style Art Deco
Location Perth, Western Australia
Address
  • 726 Hay Street
  • 88 William Street
Coordinates 31°57′12″S 115°51′27″E / 31.9532°S 115.8575°E / -31.9532; 115.8575
Current tenants
  • McDonald's
  • Florsheim
Construction started 1922; 103 years ago (1922)
Completed 1923; 102 years ago (1923)
Renovated 2011; 14 years ago (2011)
Cost £A 80,000 (equivalent to A$3.2M in 2018)
Renovation cost A$15M
Owner
  • Winston Holdings Pty Ltd
  • Ayoman Pty Ltd
Landlord CB Richard Ellis
Technical details
Floor count 6
Design and construction
Architect Talbot Hobbs
Main contractor C. W. Arnott
Renovating team
Architect Palassis Architects
Renovating firm Diploma Group

The Walsh's Building is a cool, historic building in Perth, Western Australia. It was once known as the Economic Store Building. A famous architect named Talbot Hobbs designed it. This building has stood for over 100 years, seeing many changes in Perth.

About Walsh's Building

The Walsh's Building is a well-known landmark. It shows off a special style of architecture. Over the years, it has been home to many different shops and businesses.

Where is it?

You can find the Walsh's Building right in the heart of Perth. It sits on a busy corner where Hay Street meets William Street. If you look across the street, you'll see other old, important buildings like the Gledden Building and Wesley Church. Before this building was built, another store called the Economic Store stood there. Sadly, that first building was destroyed by a fire in 1921.

What does it look like?

The building was designed in a style called Art Deco. This style was very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Art Deco buildings often have cool, geometric shapes and fancy decorations. They look modern and stylish, even today! Talbot Hobbs, the architect, designed many buildings in the Perth city centre. He was known for his impressive work.

How it was Built

Construction of the Walsh's Building started in 1922. It was finished quite quickly, by early 1923. The main company that built it was C. W. Arnott. Many years later, in 2011, the building got a big makeover. This renovation cost about $15 million and was completed in late 2012. It helped keep the old building looking great and ready for new businesses.

What it was Used For

When the building first opened, the main tenant was the Economic Store. The owner of this store was Sir William Lathlain, who was also the Mayor of Perth at the time. Later, a menswear shop called Walsh's Menswear opened on the ground floor. That's how the building got its current name.

For a while, the basement of the building had a food court. But in 2007, a fire caused a lot of damage there, and the food court had to close. The Walsh's Building is considered very important for its history and design. Because of this, the National Trust of Western Australia officially recognized it as a heritage building in 1978. This means it's protected and valued for future generations.

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