A new development application has been submitted to transform the old Irish Club building located at 175 Elizabeth St into a new heritage cinema complex known as Elizabeth Picture Theatre.
Under plans revealed today, the 137 year old Classicism Style building, also known as Tara House would see restoration work throughout, with the most noticeable enhancement being the restoration of it’s 1928 Victorian era facade.
The refurbishment aims to bring back an authentic cinema-going experience to Brisbane’s CBD in a place of heritage value and integrated with a sought-after high traffic retail setting.
According to architect James Davidson, the proposal seeks to breathe new life into what was a previously an underutilised ‘members only’ club and aims to transform it into a semi-public commercial enterprise, thus enabling greater access to its heritage interior.
The DA states that the reactivation of the Elizabeth Street streetscape and the recalling of the splendour of its more glorious past, is the express intention of the new ownership.
Two new retail tenancies are proposed for the ground floor while a total of seven cinema screens are are proposed on all three levels.
The existing ballroom is to be converted into the largest cinema with 121 seats, preserving the original significant details of the space and creating what could be Brisbane’s most decorated cinema.
The proposal has been submitted by the Sourris Family who successfully restored the 1921 heritage New Farm Village Cinemas and opened to the public in December 2014.
Peter and Stephen Sourris also own and operate the Yatala Drive-In Theatre which opened in February 2013.
The DA number for this development is A004482055.
You need to visit the Blue Room cinebar at Rosalie!