A new look in train for Prahran's Station Hotel
The engine ploughing through the wall set a wild tone for the pub during its music and drinking heyday in the 1980s when bands performed there.
Now the V/Line engine is set to be engraved on the facade of a new $20 million mixed-use development to be built around the pub over the next 18 months.
The six-storey development will incorporate the heritage-listed pub, which ran for 108 years before being closed earlier this year.
The Station's conversion to apartments follows the demise of the South Yarra drinking and dining institution the Argo Hotel. It was sold late last year with a permit for a three-level, 39-unit development.
The Station's masonry facade will remain and its upstairs rooms will be converted to apartments. Additional layers will be added at the rear of the building, architect Robert Ficarra from Interlandi Mantesso said. "The ground floor of the hotel will remain as a commercial tenancy, a cafe or restaurant, not so much an entertainment venue," Mr Ficarra said.
The street-facing sections will be three levels, rising to six at the rear. A modern, fritted-glass exterior on the upper portions, which will screen its 28 one-bedroom and 13 two-bedroom apartments.
Hotel developers the Saade Group's other projects include the revamped former post office in Carre Street, Elsternwick.
Construction at the Station is expected to start in June and finish in December next year.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The Prahran Station Hotel is being converted into a $20 million mixed-use development that retains the heritage-listed pub facade while adding apartments and commercial space. For everyday investors, it's an example of inner‑city redevelopment that blends heritage retention with new residential supply, a trend that can influence local property values and rental demand.
The hotel developers are the Saade Group and the project is designed by architect Robert Ficarra from Interlandi Mantesso. The Saade Group also has other local projects, such as the revamped former post office in Carre Street, Elsternwick.
The masonry facade of the heritage‑listed Station Hotel will remain, and the upstairs hotel rooms will be converted into apartments. The development keeps the street presence while adding new layers to the rear of the building.
The development will contain 41 apartments in total: 28 one‑bedroom apartments and 13 two‑bedroom apartments, screened by a modern fritted‑glass exterior on the upper portions.
The ground floor will remain a commercial tenancy intended for a cafe or restaurant rather than an entertainment venue, according to the project architect.
The redevelopment is a $20 million project expected to be built over the next 18 months. Construction is slated to start in June and finish in December of the following year.
The six‑storey development keeps three levels facing the street and rises to six at the rear, with a modern fritted‑glass exterior screening the upper apartments. The design also plans to feature an engraving of the V/Line train engine on the facade as a nod to the pub's history.
The Station's conversion follows the demise and redevelopment of other local hotels, such as the Argo Hotel in South Yarra, which was sold with a permit for a three‑level, 39‑unit development. It reflects a broader local shift from traditional pubs to residential and mixed‑use projects.
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