98 Sydney Street
February 26th 2008 04:25
98 Sydney Street
What they did to the old corner store!
What they did to the old corner store!
I had rather a shock this morning when I read through the Domain supplement.
I havnt won the lottery but I do look at the real estate ads since occassionallly I see a photo I can use as a reference shot. Today (Feb 26 2008) on p. 55 I saw the old corner store that was just around the corner from my grandparents house in LAurel St Willoughby.
Ouch judging from the photo the exterior brick work has been sandblasted AGAIN!
The house next door is a separate lot but I have long suspected it was a later addition to the original separated off yet again in the 50s or 60s!
When I was very small this shop sold general groceries and tinned goods and other things like bread in competition with a general store a block up the same street which alas is also no longer a shop. Once you could buy ice creams and lollies after school and htose old style big blocks of white bread and otehr sundries.
Getting back to the corner store I had to laugh when I read the ad for the latest "renovated" version. It's been "renovated" and "restored" at least thrre times possibly more in my life time.
We moved out of the area about ten years ago!
It is indeed a "landmark residence". You cant miss it being on the corner with a bus stop.
Historic property ... yes ... the 1884 date is not quite right. I remember reading that it was an extension of an older building on the site possibly an inn.
"Meticulous restoration work" "Original grandeur" Snork
IT WAS A CORNER STORE! The ad photo shows that teh once shadwoy interior has been tarted up with (mock) victorian antiques the original store owner probably would not have had in his parlour!
"Palatial interiors" "Exquisite period details" Translation Three or four small rooms were enlarged by having an couple of interior walls removed. Its been repainted in lighter colors.
"Grand entrance" Its a grand entrance cos a skylight over the door was added where there was once shop signs?
"Vast courtyard" "Lanscaped grounds" "Garden studio"
Cobbled area between what was a combination back shed stable big enuff for the shop owners horse and cart and the original vegie patch / fruit trees was behind that... well there's a wall so one cant see what they have done. Possilbly a good thing!
The origina balcony was wood .
This house has been seriously tarted up. It is however in a good location !
If I won hte lottery this week I would almost be tempted to buy it just to save it from decorators who believe in Vicotrian Grandeur.
Yes the photos show they did a nice job but really its a former shop.
Given that the nearest shop selling ice creams is probably now in Chatswood I bet lots of local kids wish it was still a corner store!
It's scary sometimes what you find by accident!
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