1984. 14 February. Overells Limited grants a set of rights to SGIO concerning the walkway between what is now the Valley Metro and McWhirters. See the above "Memorandum of Grant of Easement" photo.
1984. 28 March. Mount Cathay leases the buildings to Waltons Stores for three years starting at $330,000 / year increasing by 5% a year. Edmund Thomas Traynor (director) and Keith Robert Stewart (secretary) sign for Waltons and Joyce Lee (director) and Nancy Lee (secretary) sign for Mount Cathay.
1984. 6 April. Courier Mail: "THE Waltons-Bond property at the Brunswick and Wickham Street corner, Fortitude Valley, has been sold for $2.65 million.The property, with about 13,000 square metres of retail, office and storage space, was sold by Amalgamated Securities Limited and Overells Limited, on a leaseback deal to Waltons Stores (Interstate) Limited. Agent
Tom Chan
and Associates would not disclose the identity of the buyer."
1987. 28 March. The lease is renewed for two years at $377,900 / year increasing by 5% a year. Edmund Thomas Traynor and John William Long sign for Waltons and Nancy Lee (attorney) signs for Mount Cathay.
1987. May. Waltons becomes Norman Ross.
1987. 21 August. Comino solicitors write to Dawson Waldron that the rent hasn't been paid.
1987. 8 October. Comino: "there is an alleged Legionaires (sic) Disease problem with the air conditioning plant".
1988. March. Norman Ross has its closing down sale. The lease is assigned from Waltons to Venture.
1988. 20 April. Comino: "Your client clearly is obliged to maintain the premises and to keep them free and in repair." (!)
1988. 13 May and 16 May. Comino solicitors writes to Blake Dawson Waldron: "Many areas of the building are untidy ... The building is being allowed to fall into disrepair ... flooding has been caused in the basement area" (!!)
1988. 3 June. Builder Ron Neal does an inspection for Mount Cathay to report on the condition of the building.
1988. 14 June.
Mount Cathay issues a writ against Waltons, Norman Ross, and Venture Stores
seeking "An injunction restraining the defendants ... from damaging demolishing removing or otherwise interfering with the fixtures and fittings and other property of the Plaintiff": "the premises are untidy and unclean ... the activities in the premises cannot by any stretch of the imagination be described as "a retail department store of a comparable department store operating in the metropolitan area of Brisbane" ... under the terms of the lease, your client is to maintain the interior and exterior of the premises in good and substantial repair and condition" (!!!)
1988. 20 June. Judgment issued: "Defendants are restrained from damaging, demolishing, removing or otherwise interfering with the fixtures and fittings and other property of the Plaintiff."
1989. 24 November. Courier Mail, letter to the editor from Jeanette Smith: "It makes me sick to see what the Waltons store has been reduced to when I remember how lovely it was a few years ago. How on earth were so many fifth-grade, little businesses allowed to operate in one area? A mish-mash of junk surrounded by dirty, dung-colored buildings. I felt dirty just being there."
1991. 10 July.
Green Left:
"Valley of indecision: Household names — McWhirters, Overells, T.C. Beirne — have been displaced by decentralised establishments, the landmark buildings remaining amid smaller commercial premises, many of them run-down and emptying one after the other. ... With the long view characteristic of Chinese business, Hong Kong interests own a great deal of real estate in the area."
1991. 10 November. Courier Mail: "A 34-storey residential building over the Fortitude Valley railway station in Brisbane has been proposed to bring residents back to the area. ...
Mr Keith McDonnell,
a director and spokesman for the company proposing the development, Mount Valley Management Pty Ltd, said the development was proposed for the former Waltons building site. …The residental tower will cater for a maximum of 500 people. He said such a density was the only way to ensure viability of the project. The retail arcades connect to Brunswick and Wickham Streets and the Valley Centre Plaza and provide access to the Brunswick Street Railway. ... Ald Soorley said yesterday the building did not have City Council approval and in its existing form fell outside the guidelines of the Town Plan.
We are interested in facilitating development of the Valley which is both sensible for the city and profitable for the developer,
he said."
1991. 17 November. Courier Mail: "THE Fortitude Valley trader association responsible for the marketing and management of the Valley and Chinatown malls has put its weight behind a proposed 34-storey residential and retail development for the area. Mount Valley Management Ltd outlined its plan for the $40m development on the old Waltons building site last week. In a letter to the company, Valley Business Association president Mr Richard Zammit said the association was happy to see some firm progress in the area of development of disused sites in the Valley region. Mr Zammit said the proposed project had the ability to be the major catalyst for other development in the area. "
1993. 8 August. Courier Mail: "There is also speculation that a major residential building over the Fortitude Valley railway station proposed for the former Waltons site is being revised after initial rejection by the council. The project initially knocked back was a $40 million 34-storey building with a residential tower component. A revised development proposal for the site is expected to be put forward in the near future."
1997. 4 July. Courier Mail: "TWO of Fortitude Valley's landmark properties, the former Waltons department store site and the Sunday Sun premises, are on the market for redevelopment in what has become a burgeoning urban renewal precinct. Vendor Mt Cathay Pty Ltd is offering the property freehold under two purchase scenarios." See
1997 Courier Mail article
.
1998. Mount Cathay starts complaining about safety and maintenance issues on the easement (see 2009 complaint below).
1998. 16 July. Northern News. E Bell of New Farm writes: "WITH the new developments in New Farm, Teneriffe and Fortitude Valley, I can't help but wonder where people will go for their weekly groceries. The boutique supermarkets are great for night-time emergencies or unexpected guest supplies, milk or bread, but a week's shop is out of the question ($$$). Why don't the developers look at the old Waltons area around the station, Brunswick St and all the empty buildings along Wickham St. One of these areas would be suitable for Woolies, Target, Kmart or Franklins. The number of empty premises, filled with discount outlets could be better utilised to provide much-needed services for existing and future residents. Bring the Valley back to its former glory of a one-stop shopping centre."
2000. 14 January. Courier-Mail. "Construction is expected to begin on apartments within the McWhirters building next month and long-term residential planning may even include the Walton 's Building on the corner of St Paul's Terrace and Brunswick Street. [sic]"
2005. 3 October. Mount Cathay writes to James Heading of the Brisbane City Council (complaints concerning Overell's Lane, see below).
2006. 5 March. Sunday Mail: "Drug dealing, fights, drunkenness . . . it's our 100m of misery. DRUG pushers ply their trade in the open as shoppers brush by, arguments break out as deals go bad, drunks slump unconscious in doorways -- all within metres of a manned police beat."
2006. 16 March. City News: "A commercial landlord has come under fire for allowing a Fortitude Valley strip to descend into a haven for drug-dealers and other anti-social behaviour." See
2006 City News Article
.
2007. Word on the street: World graffiti legend "Jade" from "DTS" or "Dtees" paints large graffiti piece on roof, creating one of the most iconic graffiti pieces in Brisbane. The piece remains today in 2015 as a symbol of Brisbane's underground graffiti scene; whilst collaborating with historic Brisbane architecture.
2008. 6 June. Courier-Mail. Local councillor David Hinchliffe says some property owners are ``land-banking
, hoping their values will increase once the [Valley neighbourhood] plan is approved. ``There are quite a number of buildings that are in a depressed state simply because the owners are sitting on them,
he says. The old Walton's department store, which stretches from Brunswick Street to Wickham Terrace, near the station, is an eyesore, contrary to the magnificent brick building it once was. The Valley Chamber of Commerce has lobbied the owners for years to redevelop the building but they only do basic maintenance and despite offers they refuse to sell.
2008. 24 June.
Skyscrapercity.com:
"another part of the building they can fix up is the line of 2 dollars shop [sic] and the westpac building. aparently [sic] a cranky old asian man owns it and he dosnt [sic] want to do jack."
2008. 18 July. Mount Cathay writes to Jane Prentice of the Brisbane City Council (complaints concerning Overell's Lane, see below).
2009. 5 November. An anonymous Mount Cathay Pty Ltd "liason" [sic] officer complains to the BCC (
search for development application
A002228766, "Submission - No Name/Address"): "Grave concerns supported by photographic evidence were raised on public health and safety in OVERELL LANE caused by the occupiers of 256 Wickham Street. ... There were numerous correspondence and evidence [sic] to show Overell Lane was severely damaged by construction work in 2006 carried out by the proprietor of 256 Wickham Street. The property of Mount Cathay Pty Ltd. was unlawfully trespassed [sic] and damaged during the said work. The ongoing issues of safety and maintenance on Easement no. H243890 since 1998 with the Grantee, the Body Corporate of Happy Valley BUP 102240, as shown by many correspondence. [sic]"
2010. 29 July. City News: Neglected buildings an eyesore. "COUNCILLOR David Hinchliffe (Central) has called for action on the once-grand Walton's department store in Fortitude Valley which has fallen into disrepair. Cr Hinchliffe said legislation was needed to bring buildings up to an acceptable standard when they deteriorated."
2010. 8 August.
The Independent:
David Hinchliffe: “Of course, much more needs to be done. This award is a pat on the back for heading in the right direction, but we’ve got a lot further to go, particularly with some of the pathetic and irresponsible owners who are letting the rest of the Valley down.” Cr Hinchliffe singled out the “disgraceful” Walton’s department store in Brunswick Street West. He decried the fact that there was no legislation with teeth that would empower the council to force the owners to either put up or cover up “this Valley eye-sore”. Cr Hinchliffe is keen for public pressure and the developmental community, plus bipartisan support from both sides of the council chamber, to create strong legislation that would force buildings such as this to an acceptable standard. “This would then attract more locals and visitors to the Fortitude Valley area where they would be surrounded by buildings and streetscapes that shows a well-cared and secure environment,” he said.
2010. 29 September. Courier-Mail: Douglas Wood of Boondall wrote: "When I was a young bloke, I often went to the Valley which was a major shopping centre. The shops were clean and well presented. I am disgusted with the Valley as it is now. It is filthy, smelly, the shops look dirty and rundown and in need of fresh paint. There are ripped and torn posters hanging everywhere. I don't know who is responsible but someone needs to get their act together and restore the Valley to what it once was."
2010. 9 October. Courier-Mail: Margaret Lane of Curra wrote: "Walking towards Fortitude Valley station, past the old Waltons store, is sickening. It is sad to see it go this way. We too will not be going there again. It is not inviting at all."
