Boot Factory Restoration Approved

By Nicola Smith on June 17, 2020 in News

The new look…Photo: Waverley Council

The Boot Factory in Bondi Junction will undergo significant renovations following the approval of a Waverley Council DA to restore the site for community use.
The approved plans for restoration include repairing the roof and external walls as well as installing new floors and a new interior fit-out including lift access via the Mill Hill Community Centre.
Waverley Mayor Paula Masselos told The Beast that these works reflect promises she made upon her election.
“The Boot Factory restoration is one of Council’s key projects for 2020 and aligns with the commitment I made to the residents of Waverley when I was elected to ensure that Council continues to restore and retain our heritage buildings,” Mayor Masselos said.
The Boot Factory will be connected to the existing Mill Hill Community Centre on Spring Street, forming a precinct of spaces for community use along with the adjacent Waverley Library.
The adjacent courtyard at Norman Lee Place will also be renovated. The heritage-listed building located at 27-33 Spring Street was built in 1892 but has been vacant since 2007.
In 2013 the building underwent essential structural works to ensure its stability, but under the new council plan it will house a community “knowledge and innovation hub”.
Waverley Council stated that the proposed hub will focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths), although the specific aims and purposes of the space, as well as the community groups that will have access to the building, remains unclear. More specific parameters for the space’s use are expected to be released in June.
While the new plans are sure to provide a unique community space and restore a key outdoor area in Bondi Junction, the restoration will also prolong the construction works on Spring Street from the Bondi Junction Cycleway and Streetscape Projects.
These projects, as well as several private developments, have closed various areas of Spring Street footpaths and caused congestion in the surrounding streets.
Work on the Boot Factory will begin mid-2021 and continue through to at least October 2021.