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| Head Office Click on bar at left for:
Historical,
Internal,
Safe Custody,
Martin Place photos | 
1981
1985
1993
2000
2003
2010
| 1985 building sold to State Superannuation Board
1993 HO as NAB by Frank Chapman
2000 Relocation notice
2003 HO as a Virgin Megastore by Frank Piccoli.
2009-06-11 Dexus sells 343 George St to Abacus Property Group
2010-03-26 Virgin Megastore moves from ground floor 343 George St
2010-09-30 Settlement in Abacus sale to Council for $78m including GST
2010-11 Ground floor being renovated to house Burberry's fashion store. Three photos by John Ness
2011 March World Fashion House BURBERRY 129 King St Sydney to occupy lower ground floor, ground floor & 5th floor of 343 George St
2011-03-06 340 George St (ex-CTB) is occupied by ladies fashion store so is this the latest trend for banking chambers of similar vintage ?
2022 March Carolyn Cummins wrote in the SMH 23/3/22:
The heritage-listed home of luxury label Burberry and IT giant Atlassian at 343 George Street is set for a $16.6 million facelift by the City of Sydney, as part of its program to revitalise its property portfolio.
Sitting at the western end of the city, the 11-storey tower bookends Martin Place, which is also undergoing a transformation from being the traditional heart of the city, when the Reserve Bank was operative, to a public palazzo.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the works at 343 George Street, which comprise a three-street facelift, with the staged remediation works to be carried out over several years, were ‘‘ vital’ ’ for preserving the landmark heritage building into the future.
‘‘ Along with its neighbours, 343 George Street forms an important group of buildings overlooking George Street and visually closing off the western end of Martin Place, one of Sydney’s most important and accessible civic spaces,’’ she said.
Under the plans, the first stage will start in June with remediation works to the cement render, concrete , steel and bronze windows and copper weathering on the Barrack Lane facade. Facade remediation of the stonework, steel and bronze window repairs and facade lighting for the George and Barrack Street frontages will follow.
The building work comes on the back of the City of Sydney’s announcement of a $4 million grants program to fund businesses and creative companies to work together to help revitalise the CBD and precincts. The collaborations will be designed to activate businesses , public places and vacant retail and commercial space through cultural programming.
‘‘ We’re ensuring this building remains a significant commercial space for retail and office use and preserving it for future generations to enjoy,’’ Ms Moore said. ‘‘ By carrying out extensive remediation works of the city’s historic buildings, we are keeping these important spaces alive, in use and in great condition.’’
The site at 343 George Street was the headquarters of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney from the 1850s until its merger with the National Bank in the 1980s. The building was constructed in two stages between 1921 and 1925 and known as Barracks House.
City of Sydney historian Lisa Murray described the landmark building as a ‘‘ significant example of the city’s interwar architecture’ ’ that was worth preserving. ‘‘ Along with its twin, the Bank of NSW, these prominent bank buildings built in the 1930s helped cement Martin Place as Sydney’s financial hub,’’ Dr Murray said.
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2019
| 343 George Street is historically significant as the former headquarters of one of the leading banks in New South Wales, the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Ltd., which had occupied this site since the 1850s until its merger with the National Bank in the 1980s.
The design and execution, scale, form and materials of this building combine to present an extremely fine expression of the qualities and aspirations of a leading, well established and respected bank from the 1920s at a time when great confidence and trust was placed in banks such as the CBC.
The building is significant as a good and early example of the Commercial Palazzo style. The Ground Floor, Lower Ground Floor Safe Deposit Vault and area, and surviving original interiors of the executive areas are exceptionally fine and rare examples of design and craftsmanship of their period, The Banking Chamber and Safe Deposit area are the finest and most intact marble finished bank interiors from the early 20th century in Sydney, the only comparable interiors being the Westpac Bank next door, and the former State Savings Bank in Martin Place, both of which depend in large part on faux marble ('scagliola') for their effect. The principle Ground and Lower Ground Floor spaces are fitted with a collection of exceptionally fine and now rare Australian marbles. The circular Chubb Safe Deposit Vault door is the earliest, as well as one of only two, doors of its type in Australia, the other also being in Sydney.
The elegant grandeur of the banking chamber space with its fine marble and bronze finishes and fittings and the play of natural and artificial light within it evoke the stature, role and functions of one of Sydney's former leading banking institutions.
The building was designed by architects Kent and Massie and is arguably the finest commercial building to be produced by this partnership. It was built by the firm of Stuart Brothers. Both firms made prominent contributions to Sydney's architecture in the first half of the 20th century.
Together with its neighbour, the Westpac Bank, and other nearby significant building of the 19th and early 20th centuries, 343 George Street forms part of an imposing group which visually closes the western end of Martin Place and the north side of Barrack Street. (Design 5 Architects, 2002)
Special thanks to http://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au/ www.sydneyarchitecture.com 2019 June photos by Kevin Greenaway.
| Burberry
343 George Street | 
2011 Marie Clare
  
2011 Vogue
2019
2021
2022
| 2011 April Burberry's new Sydney store opensThe new Burberry store at 343 George St, Sydney, is the perfect reflection of the Brit brand. Just as chief creative officer Christopher Bailey marries heritage with cutting edge technology, the new location in a historic building also boasts giant LED screens streaming content from London.
"The thriving, cosmopolitan city of Sydney was the natural choice for our new flagship," says Angela Ahrendts, Burberry's ceo. "We are so proud of the store, which combines the full Burberry product offer with the very latest in digital technology and great customer service, giving our shoppers in the city an unrivalled brand and luxury experience. This innovative store environment inside a beautiful heritage building is the perfect reflection of the history and modern attitude of the Burberry brand".
With stock spread out across 820 square metres, the new location (once home to the Virgin megastore) showcases Burberry Prorsum, Burberry London, Burberry Brit, Burberry Heritage Outerwear, Burberry Childrenswear and Burberry Accessories. Basically, it's a Burberry bonanza.
Expect plenty of parties in the near future on the polished marble floors to celebrate the Australian epicentre of trench coats. 2019 June photos of the Banking Chamber as Burberrys by Kevin Greenaway. 2021 June taken by John Ness on the day of the CBC quarterly luncheon at the instigation of some of the members who saw the bank's front window on the way in. 2022 Main entrance with newly replaced head messenger's stand in foyer, photographed by John Ness |
Last modified: 28/09/2022 05:58 PM
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