Grace Building (Sydney)

The Grace Building in Sydney, Australia was constructed by Kell & Rigby Builders during the late 1920s and opened in 1930 by the Grace Brothers, Australian department store magnates, as their headquarters. Inspired by the Gothic revival-modernist Tribune Tower in Chicago–the headquarters of the "Chicago Tribune"–the building was of the art deco architectural style and had stat-of-the-art innovations and facilities for the time.

The Grace Building was commandeered by the Australian government in 1942 for the use of General Douglas MacArthur and his staff during Pacific War in World War II and continued to be used in the ensuing years for government administration purposes.cite web| work=State Library of NSW | title=Grace Building| url=http://www.atmitchell.com/journeys/arts/temples/grace.cfm | accessdaymonth=25 August | accessyear=2006]

Extensive renovation and restoration during the 1990s resulted in the return of many of the building's original features, including light fittings, lifts, stairwells, high pressed-metal ceilings, marble floors, wide hallways, and elegant decorative ironwork.

The Grace Building was recently classified by the National Trust of Australia and officially opened as the Grace Hotel in June 1997.

Gallery

External links

* [http://www.gracehotel.com.au/ The Official website]

References