Location: 989 Pacific Highway, Chatswood [Willoughby]
SHI Number: 3931001
Suburb/Nearest Town: Chatswood 2067
DUAP Region: Sydney North
Historic Region: Sydney
Local Govt Area: Willoughby
State: NSW
Other/Former Names: Seymour's Garage, Charlton's Horseland
Item Type: Built
Group: Commercial
Category: Garage
Admin Codes: Code 2: Code 3:
Assessed significance: Local
Statement of Significance:
989 Pacific Highway is considered to have significance on several levels. It is historically significant because of the evidence it furnishes in regard to the growth and development of road transport during the interwar period. It is aesthetically significant as an example of the commercial architecture designed in the office of Virgil Cizzio, an accomplished architectural practitioner of the interwar period, and may possibly be an early example of the work of architect Loyal Figgis. The building is also aesthetically significant because it is a fine example of an Inter War Spanish Mission style service station that is relatively intact externally and forms one of a pair of similar buildings that are an important visual landmark in the area. The pair of buildings provide insights into the development of motor transport in New South Wales and its effect on the Willoughby local government area.
Designer: Virgil Dante Cizzio
Year Started: 1929
Year Completed: 1929
Circa: No
Physical Description:
989 Pacific Highway is a single storey masonry building which has a relatively complex skillion and hipped roof form covered with corrugated iron. The external wall surfaces are finished with textured stucco. Its exterior is similar in detail to the slightly later 985 Pacific Highway (Chatswood Classic Cars) on the southern corner of William Street, and the two are a visually significant part of the streetscape in Chatswood. They are both fine examples of the Inter War Spanish Mission style as it was utilised in the design of service stations and garages. The interior of the building is a large and unencumbered space that appears to have retained little early fabric after the modifications were carried out during the 1980's, although no documentary evidence was found to confirm this. Wall linings and fitments date to the mid 1990's. Peripheral masonry walls are cement rendered.
Modification Dates:
Sections added during the early 1980's on the northern side of the site consists of a blank curved wall and an entrance marked by a steeply pitched canopy lined with cordova pattern roof tiles. Original openings in the western part of the façade have been infilled with glazing while those on the eastern side are infilled with solid masonry. The glazing was installed during the 1980's after the property was purchased by John Charlton & Co Pty Ltd. The ground floor mezzanine level has been introduced (1980's), which contain a number of rooms formed out of stud framed walls lined with plasterboard and particle board flooring that has been covered with vinyl.
Criteria a) 989 Pacific Highway may be considered to have some historical significance as evidence of the development of the transportation infrastructure and the growing importance of motor transport during the inter war period within the municipality of Willoughby and between major cities in NSW. Road conditions between Sydney and Newcastle were improved at this time, reflected in the sale of part of the land to the Commissioner of Main Roads.
Criteria b) 989 Pacific Highway does not have any associations with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in NSW's cultural or natural history other than its designers (refer to criterion c). However, the Seymour brothers would appear to be significant within the local area.
Criteria c) The exterior of 989 Pacific Highway furnishes a very good example of the way that the Interwar Spanish Mission style was employed by the designers of service stations and garages. It has retained its original external form and configuration and much of its decorative detailing. The interior of the building, however, has been substantially modified.
The building is one of a pair of similarly designed and detailed buildings that have formed a prominent visual landmark in this part of Chatswood for many years.
Both buildings are fine examples of the work produced in the office of Virgil Cizzio, and may have been designed by the young architect Loyal Figgis. The output of Cizzio's office during the interwar period appears to have been of a high quality, and the distinctive character of extant buildings known to have been designed in it shows the practice to have had a firm grasp on the use of varied architectural styles.
Although the work carried out around 1982 has some associations with a prominent firm of architects, Lipson Kaad Fotheringham and Partners, it is not associated with its significant principals, Samuel Lipson and Peter Kaad. This part of the building does not embody any intrinsically high architectural qualities.
Criteria d) The building is not considered to be socially significant - it does not have strong or special associations with a contemporary community for social, spiritual or other reasons.
Criteria e)
The intact original fabric of 989 Pacific Highway has some rarity value because of the insights that it gives to aspects of popular culture and the development of transport during the interwar period - although the building is architecturally accomplished it is not an example of the "high art" architecture of the period and has been designed to accommodate commercial requirements.
Criteria f) The intact external fabric of 989 Pacific Highway has some rarity value because of its design as one of a pair of related buildings. The only other example of this type of design known to this office was an interwar functionalist style service station and garage located on Flinders Street in Darlinghurst, but one of the buildings making up the pair was demolished several years ago.
There are relatively few interwar service stations that still survive in this local government area which still retain associations with motor transport. One that does is the garage at the intersection of Fullers Road and Millwood Avenue in East Chatswood, designed by architect David Kennedy and build around 1930. It is however of lesser architectural quality than the buildings at 985-989 Pacific Highway.
Criteria g) The intact original external fabric of 989 Pacific Highway may be considered representative of interwar service stations and garages, although that function has been obscured by later modifications. However its architectural quality and external intactness, as well as its associations with 985 Pacific Highway, place it amongst the finest examples in the state.
References:
Author - Rod Howard Heritage Conservation Pty Ltd
Title - Conservation Management Plan - 989 Pacific Highway Roseville
Year - 2002
Parcels:
Parcel Code - LOT
Lot Number - 1
Section
Plan Code - DP
Plan Number - 34636
Listings:
Name - Local Environment Plan
Title - Seymour's Motors
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