KSS July Edition eKourier 2025

PROPERTY

RESTORING BUILDING HERITAGE

Across the Kennards Self Storage portfolio there are several iconic buildings occupying prominent parcels of land. However time can catch-up with these older buildings, building techniques, building procedures and materials continue to evolve but with older buildings they can suffer recurring problems and if these are not arrested they can be quite problematic.

based mortar had cracked and there were areas of unstable brickwork.

a prominent corner position on one of Sydney’s busiest arterial roads.

NEWCASTLE WEST (NSW) (Pictured above left)

The building was not going to collapse, but it was permitting water ingress into the storage units. With some engineering advice a procedure to fix the brickwork was formulated. THE FIX Tenders went out to selected specialist builders to repair the areas of brickwork and with co-operation from neighbours for access, work has recently begun to repair the brickwork. We have also taken the opportunity to repair some rusting, deteriorating window heads, downpipes and rainwater heads. HISTORY Built in the 1930’s the building was originally used to manufacture glass products under the AGM branding. Then re-birthed by Millers Storage and purchased by Kennards Self Storage in the 2005 acquisition, it is one of the largest single free standing buildings in the Kennards Self Storage portfolio. The building is heritage listed and occupies MOORE PARK (NSW) (Pictured above right)

HISTORY Built in the 1920’s the building was originally used as a Broom Factory and Woolstore and was purchased and re- born by Kennards Self Storage in 1985. On the 28th December 1989, Newcastle was hit by the worst mainland Australia Earthquake in recorded history. The damage to the building was extensive, large areas of the upper storey walls had collapsed to the ground like so many other Newcastle buildings of the time. Even today the repair work is still clearly visible due to a different shade of brick that was used to repair the building. Nobody on our site was injured during the earthquake and all was good after a re-build, however it is still a very old building. PROBLEM In recent months observant commuters from the railway platform behind the property reported that from a distance it looked like some of the original brickwork had cracked. Upon closer inspection this was correct. Areas of the original brickwork with the old lime

PROBLEM Late in 2024 it was identified the feature of the curved brickwork element fronting Lachlan Street and South Dowling Road had cracked over two of the floors. THE FIX The engineers were called in, and a design to temporarily restrain the brickwork was detailed, along with an emergency work order granted by Council. We then undertook to install a series of steelwork braces inside the building and anchor these through the external face of the brickwork walls, this is only phase one. We are now into phase two, which involves replacement and repair of the brickwork walls back to be better than original. This is a very delicate process, working over a pedestrian footpath and adjacent one of Sydney’s arterial roadways. The Moore Park team have been very diplomatic in skilfully relocating several customers to allow the work to proceed.

The Property Development Team

16 Kennards Kourier July 2025