Allgas Building, historic site in Queensland, Australia
The Allgas Building is a historic structure on Stanley Street in South Brisbane built in 1885 and designed in Victorian style. Its facade displays grouped windows with rounded surrounds, decorative pilasters with ornate capitals, a prominent cornice, and small pediments topped by an archway inscribed with the construction year.
The structure was built in 1885 during South Brisbane's growth as a commercial center and originally served as a shop and office space. From 1897, Queensland National Bank occupied it as a branch while the gas and light company rented offices there, establishing it as a central business location throughout the 1900s.
The building has carried different names reflecting its shifting uses over time: South Brisbane Gas and Light Company, Queensland National Bank, and Caledonian House. Each name marks a chapter in how the local business community shaped and reshaped the space.
The structure sits on Stanley Street in South Brisbane and is easy to find on foot, surrounded by other buildings from the same era. The exterior remains clearly visible from the street even though the interior has been renovated and now houses offices and administration spaces.
During Brisbane's 1980 World Expo, the building gained special attention and was temporarily renamed Central House, housing a popular restaurant called Picasso inside. This moment connected it to the city's modern history and made it a gathering spot for visitors from around the world.
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