Salter Brothers lodges Intercontinental Hotel renewal proposal to protect and conserve Melbourne’s treasured heritage
Press Release | September 27, 2023
Melbourne’s heritage Winfield and Rialto buildings will be safeguarded for future generations to enjoy, following a proposal to revitalise the Intercontinental Hotel site at 495 Collins Street.
Hotel owner, Salter Brothers, has lodged an application with Heritage Victoria for a renewal that secures the long-term retention and conservation of these well-known heritage buildings, one of the largest adaptive re-use of heritage buildings in the Melbourne CBD with over 13,000sqm of heritage floorspace across the two buildings. The proposal involves the careful treatment, refurbishment and preservation of all heritage fabric on site. The Winfield and Rialto buildings will continue to be used as a hotel, and the 1980’s extension (non-heritage) to the Winfield building will be demolished and replaced with a new mixed-use building providing additional hotel rooms and facilities, commercial offices and retail space.
The proposal will also restore other heritage areas that are presently blocked off from the public, including revealing a long concealed heritage covered walkway to the city. This historic horseshoe shaped laneway will be re-opened with vibrant dining, bar and shopping experiences.
Architectural firm Cox has designed a mixed-use building as a distinctive and elegant tower, that together with the restored heritage buildings and spaces, will bolster the precinct’s reputation as a must-visit Melbourne destination.
Recognising the importance of the visual heritage experience, the tower is substantially set back from Collins Street, with the western site boundary also setback and largely concealed by the adjacent hi-rise Rialto office towers. The building tapers in from the western side boundary, protecting the airspace above the top of the heritage Rialto building, and is set back behind the Winfield building on Collins Street. The result is a sophisticated, slim design that respects and celebrates the heritage buildings below.
The proposal includes 270 new luxury hotel rooms, 22,000 sqm of premium office space, 1,500 sqm of retail at Collins Street and Flinders Lane, and a new club housed in the Winfield building. Over 1,350 sqm of private land will become publicly accessible across the ground and lower ground levels, including Winfield Square, the horseshoe laneway and a proposed pedestrian connection.
Paul Salter, Managing Director, Salter Brothers said, “As the owner of 35 hotels around Australia, we know we know our guests and visitors want unique, memorable, unrepeatable experiences. Investing in the preservation of the Winfield and Rialto buildings and opening up the hidden heritage covered walkway to the public, are critical to the unique experience we want to offer here.”
“Melbourne at its best, is a contemporary celebration of our history and heritage. Protecting the heritage, keeping the hotel use and adding office and retail will contribute to a vibrant mixed-use precinct that will also support the ongoing revitalisation of central Collins Street.”
“We look forward to working with Heritage Victoria, the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning and all stakeholders to reinvigorate this landmark destination and protect and conserve these heritage treasures for locals and visitors to enjoy.”
Matt Tripolone, Managing Director, IHG Hotels & Resorts Australia and Pacific, said, “Distinctive heritage buildings and laneways are cherished by Melbournians. They are also a major drawcard for international and interstate tourists as they really define the Melbourne experience. The heritage aspects of our existing Intercontinental Melbourne are an important part of the appeal of staying here. So we are excited about the opportunity to welcome our guests to a fully restored heritage experience within a lively precinct.”
The proposal is subject to approvals by Heritage Victoria and the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, with a planning application to be lodged shortly. Subject to approvals, construction is anticipated to commence in 2025 and would take approximately three years.