Empire Buildings, Heritage site at Stirling Terrace and York Street corner, Albany, Australia.
The Empire Buildings stand on the corner of Stirling Terrace and York Street in Albany, overlooking Princess Royal Harbour. The two-storey group mixes brick and cement render in a Federation Free Style design with an asymmetrical facade, a corner entrance, a parapet wall concealing the roof, informal window groupings, a gabled pediment and decorative skyline features.
Built in 1912, the Empire Buildings replaced a single-storey bungalow facing York Street. The Empire theatre, designed by architect Tom Anthoness and built by J. Ashman and Warner, seated 1,000 people and cost £5,000; it was owned and operated by West's Picture Company. In 2000 part of the building became a nightclub, and a ground-floor bar opened in 2006.
The name comes from the Empire theatre, the 1912 cinema run by West's Picture Company that seated 1,000 people. A portion of the building became a nightclub in 2000, and since 2006 a ground-floor bar has occupied part of the complex, so the site is still used for evening entertainment.
The complex stands at the corner of Stirling Terrace and York Street, above Princess Royal Harbour. The two-storey corner block has its entrance on the corner itself, with the gabled pediment and parapet visible from the street. A ground-floor bar occupies part of the building, so the interior is reached from street level.
The Empire theatre cost £5,000 and was owned and operated by West's Picture Company. It held 1,000 people and offered refreshment stalls, a winter garden for ladies and a spacious dress circle.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,535 contributors worldwide.