Pran Central
Heritage listed building in Victoria, Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pran Central is a heritage-listed seven storey Edwardian Baroque style former department store, built in 1915 for Read, comprising a shopping centre with apartments above. The building is located on the corner of Chapel Street and Commercial Road in the well-known retail precinct of Prahran, a suburb in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Retail shopping centre;
- Residential accommodation
| Pran Central | |
|---|---|
Pran Central, as viewed from Chapel Street | |
 Interactive map of the Pran Central area | |
| Former names | Read's Stores |
General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type |
|
Architectural style | Edwardian baroque |
| Location | 325 Chapel Street, Prahran, Victoria, Australia |
| Coordinates | 37°50′51″S 144°59′37″E |
| Current tenants | Anchor tenants:
|
| Opened | 1915 |
| Renovated | 1978; 1999 |
| Renovation cost | A$60 million |
| Owner | Precision Group |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 7 |
| Floor area | 5,350 square metres (57,600 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Developer | Charles Moore & Company |
| Designations | National Trust of Australia (Victoria): Chapel Street Precinct |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | SJB Architects |
The shopping centre occupies the lower ground, ground floor and first floor mezzanine, with approximately 30 specialty stores along with a food court.[1][2]
History
The 1915 seven-storey building is notable for its Edwardian baroque architecture, parapets and dual domes.[1][3] The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) has listed the building as being of regional architectural, historical and social importance.[1][4]
Jacob Wayman Read operated a successful drapery business in Chapel Street from 1886.[5] In 1903 he partnered with the prosperous Adelaide retailer Charles Moore and Company, establishing a shop just south of the Commercial Road intersection next to the Prahran Hotel on the south west corner.[6][7] Moore appears to have combined their names into Chas M. Read's. The business rapidly expanded with a larger three level building, then expanded to the south and took over part of the hotel by 1909.[8] The business then took over the hotel and built the current large building, opening late 1914.[9] Designed by Sydney Smith & Ogg, it was intended to replace the earlier store to the south with a matching extensions, but this was never built.[4]
The building housed what was reputed to be the largest suburban department store in Australia in 1956.[10][11]
After the store closed, the lower storeys were converted into a shopping centre named Prahran Central in 1978 as part of a major redevelopment effort by John Gandel and Maurice Alter. It then became Pran Central after further redevelopment in 1999.[1][3] Some grand columns and coffered ceilings of the interior were retained.
Lang Walker acquired the property in 1999 for $22 million, and carried out a $60 million upgrade. The shopping centre was refurbished and the upper six floors converted from office space into luxury apartments, including two added floors under a curved roof.[1][10] SJB Architects won the 2004 City of Stonnington Urban Design Award for Best Heritage Design, Alterations and Additions/Restoration for the upgrade to the Pran Central Apartments.[12] In 2006 the shopping centre was purchased by Precision Group, from Lang Walker for $34.5 million.[2]
Gallery
From the corner, 2026
Original signage
The mezzanine level
The food court
The retail mall
Thel Kaya Health Club located within the building
