And RIP 11-13 Randle Street

Big fire in Surry Hills this afternoon:

(all pictures via)

So that was the heritage-listed 11-13 Randle St, Surry Hills, which caught fire somehow around four this afternoon. As of now the fire is apparently contained but that whole area is still pretty dicey; fire did spread to one or two other buildings but they seem to have evaded real trouble.

Funnily enough, 11-13 Randle St was the subject of this development plan a few years ago:

Demolition of the existing buildings at 7-9 and 15 Randle Street, retention and re-use of 11-13 Randle Street and construction of a 9 storey building with 2 levels of basement across the sites including through site link between Randle Lane and Randle Street. Use of the building as hotel accommodation (123 rooms) with 2 restaurants, small bar and café

Now, I said that 11-13 was heritage listed, which I presume is why the developers talked about demolishing the buildings on either side but “retention and re-use” for 11-13 cos they evidently couldn’t get past the heritage thing. Which is evidently not so much of a problem for them now, isn’t it. Needless to say I have NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER that this development plan and this fire are all ENTIRELY UNRELATED TO EACH OTHER and there was ABSOLUTELY NOTHING UNTOWARD OR SUSPICIOUS about this fire breaking out in a building destined for redevelopment but with a government-placed stumbling block in the way of that happening, and if there WAS anything untoward like CRIMINAL ACTIVITY involved it had TOTALLY ZERO CONNECTION with that redevelopment and was COMPLETELY RANDOM and WHOLLY COINCIDENTAL… I have equally little doubt that Robinson Urban Planning are distraught in any way about the event, of course. After all, their job is somewhat easier now…