‘Too far gone’: CBD heritage home faces the wrecking ball
A “stunning” Victorian cottage in the heart of Adelaide could be demolished after nearby construction allegedly caused the heritage-listed dwelling to crack.
An application to demolish a heritage-listed cottage in the CBD is currently before the City of Adelaide assessment panel, with public consultation open until Monday, April 27.
Located at 38 Tucker Street, the historic dwelling from 1851 was previously described by a real estate agent as “stunning”, but has since experienced extensive cracking.
The cracking, which has also affected other neighbouring properties, is alleged to have been caused by the nearby construction of an affordable housing development for women at risk of homelessness.
It is understood that Mossop Construction + Interiors rejects allegations that its construction work damaged neighbouring properties.
The historic dwelling has been listed as a Local Heritage Place since 2001; however, an engineering report now argues it is “not structurally safe to live in”.
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InDaily understands the owner of 38 Tucker Street is regretful about demolishing the property, but that the damage makes it unfeasible to repair.
According to a report by KB Consulting, extensive cracking has affected the house both internally and externally.
“It is suspected that the cracks in the eastern internal wall & ceiling have occurred due to movement of the underlying soil caused by construction undertaken by Mossop Constructions & Interiors across the road,” the report said.
“Client has forwarded us email (sic) dated 29th November 2024 from Tom Walsh, project manager for Tucker Street Apartment from Mossop Constructions, accepting responsibility for the internal cracking within the property.”
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In a separate email attached to the application, responding to a building quote request, PTJ Constructions director Pejman Tebyanian said the house could not be repaired.
“Upon inspection of the house and reading the engineer’s report, we agree that this house is no longer repairable,” he said.
“Between the extensive damage visible on the eastern wall and the undulating levels of the floor, it is evident that this house is structurally too far gone.
“Any attempt to repair one section of the house is likely to cause stress on another part, leading to never-ending remediation. We agree that this house is no longer fit for living and the only option is for demolition in its entirety.”
Mossop Construction + Interiors was contacted for comment to ask whether it accepted responsibility for the cracking and, if so, whether the company would repair the affected properties.
InDaily contacted the owner of the property, who declined to comment due to ongoing litigation relating to the situation.
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