Russell Street Police Headquarters was located on the north-eastern corner of Russell and La Trobe Streets, Melbourne was the headquarters of the Victoria Police through the second half of the 20th century.
The main impressive New York skyscraper style tower, recognised as a symbol of the police in Victoria,[1] was designed by Public Works Chief Architect Percy Edgar Everett and opened on 29 April 1943.[2][3][4][5] The 1940s construction also included lower wings on the corner of Russell Street and Latrobe Street, incorporating the Police Theatrette / Ballroom, while an 1889 wing on Mackenzie Street remained of the earlier police buildings, and in 1970 a large brown brick building was added behind the tower.
The main tower was famously used in the opening titles of the long-running television series Homicide, a fictional police drama series dealing with the homicide squad of the Victoria Police, who were located in the building.
The building is located in what was a police and justice precinct; across the road on Russell Street is the Old Melbourne Gaol, old City Police Station and City Courts buildings (both now occupied by the RMIT University).
The Russell Street Police Headquarters was the site of the Russell Street Bombing in 1986.
The Victoria Police vacated the building in 1995, leaving it empty for many years while several failed redevelopment proposals including conversion to student accommodation and to a hotel came and went. In 2004 the 1970s building and part of the 1940s Latrobe street wing were replaced by a new 27-storey apartment building designed by Bruce Henderson Architects. The Art Deco tower, the lower corner wing, and the 1889 wing were converted into apartments. The whole complex is now known as "Concept Blue".
Galleryedit
Russell St Police Headquarters
The control room for Air Raid Precautions services during World War II were located at the Russell Street police headquarters[6][7]
Control room during World War II.
The Police building as seen from La Trobe St.
The resident entrance in the Deco Tower within the Concept Blue Apartments redevelopment of the Police HQ.
The resident lobby in the Deco Tower within the Concept Blue Apartments redevelopment of the Police HQ.
A statue of the tower itself within the resident lobby entrance in the Deco Tower.
Referencesedit
^"Police Headquarters Complex". Victroain Heritage Database. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
^Biography – Percy Edgar Everett – Australian Dictionary of Biography
^"Melbourne Conditions". The West Australian. Perth: National Library of Australia. 30 April 1943. p. 6. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
^"New Police Headquarters". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 20 February 1940. p. 7. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
^"Latest Addition". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 28 February 1941. p. 3. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
^"A.R.P." The Argus. No. 29, 299. Victoria, Australia. 18 July 1940. p. 2. Retrieved 24 December 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
^"Air Raid Sirens Sound - Police Satisfied". The Argus. No. 29, 329. Victoria, Australia. 22 August 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 24 December 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
External linksedit
Former Police Headquarters, Victorian Heritage Database
russell, street, police, headquarters, located, north, eastern, corner, russell, trobe, streets, melbourne, headquarters, victoria, police, through, second, half, 20th, century, russell, police, headquartersgeneral, informationtypemoderne, skyscraper, stylearc. Russell Street Police Headquarters was located on the north eastern corner of Russell and La Trobe Streets Melbourne was the headquarters of the Victoria Police through the second half of the 20th century Russell Street Police HeadquartersRussell St Police HeadquartersGeneral informationTypeModerne skyscraper styleArchitectural styleArt DecoAddress336 376 Russell StreetTown or cityMelbourneCountryAustraliaCoordinates37 48 30 S 144 57 58 E 37 8082 S 144 9662 E 37 8082 144 9662Construction started1940Opened29 April 1943Technical detailsStructural systemReinforced concrete with face brick curtain walls on a plinth of Mt Difficult sandstone Floor count16Design and constructionArchitect s Percy Edgar Everett The main impressive New York skyscraper style tower recognised as a symbol of the police in Victoria 1 was designed by Public Works Chief Architect Percy Edgar Everett and opened on 29 April 1943 2 3 4 5 The 1940s construction also included lower wings on the corner of Russell Street and Latrobe Street incorporating the Police Theatrette Ballroom while an 1889 wing on Mackenzie Street remained of the earlier police buildings and in 1970 a large brown brick building was added behind the tower The main tower was famously used in the opening titles of the long running television series Homicide a fictional police drama series dealing with the homicide squad of the Victoria Police who were located in the building The building is located in what was a police and justice precinct across the road on Russell Street is the Old Melbourne Gaol old City Police Station and City Courts buildings both now occupied by the RMIT University The Russell Street Police Headquarters was the site of the Russell Street Bombing in 1986 The Victoria Police vacated the building in 1995 leaving it empty for many years while several failed redevelopment proposals including conversion to student accommodation and to a hotel came and went In 2004 the 1970s building and part of the 1940s Latrobe street wing were replaced by a new 27 storey apartment building designed by Bruce Henderson Architects The Art Deco tower the lower corner wing and the 1889 wing were converted into apartments The whole complex is now known as Concept Blue Gallery edit nbsp Russell St Police Headquarters nbsp The control room for Air Raid Precautions services during World War II were located at the Russell Street police headquarters 6 7 nbsp Control room during World War II nbsp The Police building as seen from La Trobe St nbsp The resident entrance in the Deco Tower within the Concept Blue Apartments redevelopment of the Police HQ nbsp The resident lobby in the Deco Tower within the Concept Blue Apartments redevelopment of the Police HQ nbsp A statue of the tower itself within the resident lobby entrance in the Deco Tower References edit Police Headquarters Complex Victroain Heritage Database Retrieved 13 January 2016 Biography Percy Edgar Everett Australian Dictionary of Biography Melbourne Conditions The West Australian Perth National Library of Australia 30 April 1943 p 6 Retrieved 2 December 2012 New Police Headquarters The Argus Melbourne National Library of Australia 20 February 1940 p 7 Retrieved 1 December 2012 Latest Addition The Argus Melbourne National Library of Australia 28 February 1941 p 3 Retrieved 1 December 2012 A R P The Argus No 29 299 Victoria Australia 18 July 1940 p 2 Retrieved 24 December 2018 via National Library of Australia Air Raid Sirens Sound Police Satisfied The Argus No 29 329 Victoria Australia 22 August 1940 p 4 Retrieved 24 December 2018 via National Library of Australia External links editFormer Police Headquarters Victorian Heritage Database Police Headquarters Complex Victorian Heritage Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Russell Street Police Headquarters amp oldid 1154424073, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
