Tartarian Buildings and Architecture. 4

The Federal Coffee Palace was constructed over a period of approximately two and a half years.

Construction Timeline
• Commencement: Early 1886.
• Completion: Opened in July 1888.
The rapid construction was strategically timed to coincide with the opening of Melbourne’s Centennial Exhibition on August 1, 1888.

Labor and Workforce

The construction was managed by builders T. Cockram and W. Comely. While a specific total number of workers on site at once is not widely documented in general records, the scale of the labor involved is evident from the massive volume of materials used.
• Masonry: Workers laid over five million bricks to complete the seven-story structure.
• Interior Opulence: A significant portion of the workforce was dedicated to intricate interior detailing, including the installation of a grand white and red marble staircase, ornate bronze panels, and a four-story glass-roofed lobby.
• Specialized Labor: The project required skilled trades for modern (at the time) installations, such as six passenger and goods lifts, a dedicated ice-making plant in the basement, and gaslights.

The total cost of this massive undertaking was approximately £110,000 for construction alone, with an additional £20,000 spent on furnishings.

Completed in July 1888 for Melbourne's Centennial Exhibition, it was the largest and grandest "coffee palace" (a temperance hotel that did not serve alcohol) ever built in the Southern Hemisphere. At the time of its completion, its 50-meter (165 ft) corner dome made it the tallest building in Melbourne.

Key Features and History

• Architecture: It was an elaborate French Second Empire-style building designed by William Pitt and Ellerker & Kilburn. The exterior featured sculpted figures and a prominent domed turret.
• Amenities: The hotel contained 560 rooms and advanced technology for its time, including six "accident-proof" lifts, electric service bells, and its own ice-making plant
• Renaming: In 1923, it obtained a liquor license and was renamed the Federal Hotel.
• Demolition: Despite its status as one of "Marvellous Melbourne's" most iconic landmarks, the building was controversially demolished in 1973.

Today, the site at 555 Collins Street is occupied by a modern office tower development.