A SURPRISE discovery of remnants from old buildings, including Albury’s first school, has forced a delay for a major commercial project.
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The school, opened in 1850, pre-dates the Mate’s building on the corner of Dean and Kiewa streets.
A $3.2 million redevelopment of the Mates building includes a two-storey building next door to Trade Secret.
Building contractor Premier Building & Construction recently found archaeological relics at 486 Kiewa Street and that prompted the NSW Heritage office to intervene.
Work stopped last month and an archaeologist was appointed to the site. The project resumed this week.
Historical items from the site will be displayed at the Library Museum.
Relics already uncovered include a well and basement and footings from the old school and shops built later in the 1860s.
Crowe Horwath Property Securities is representing more than 30 investors in the redevelopment. Retailer Harris Scarfe will move into the top floor of the building.
Syndicate spokesman David Baird said the NSW Heritage Office’s involvement had pushed the completion date out to next May.
A report by consultants ArchLink, as part of the of the heritage office intervention, traces the history of the site.
The school site was auctioned in 1861, with 486 Kiewa Street bought by Patrick Fallon.
His family was considered pioneers of the Australian wine industry after moving to Albury in 1854.
Patrick’s brother, James, was Albury’s first mayor.
Other sub-divided school land was bought by three other mayors, Thomas Mate, Lewis Jones and Kenneth McLennan.
Historic photos from the early last century show a two-storey Victorian shop front at 486 Kiewa Street.
It was sandwiched between two pubs, The Rose Hotel and Court House Hotel.
In 1900, there also was a butcher’s shop, men’s tailor and insurance office.
The Rose Hotel was closed in 1908 and the Court House Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1915.
The 486 Kiewa Street property was occupied by businesses up until 1967 when it was demolished to make way for a car park for the expanding Mate’s building.
The first floor of the Mate’s building has been vacant since Venture quit its store there more than 20 years ago.
The Albury Council approved plans in 2007 for another development group, Proton, to spend $8.5 million building shops and offices on two levels on the land between the Mate’s and Target.
That project never went ahead.
Proton still owns the land next door to the Target store.