Steeped in history: Landmark 1863 church set to sell

A historic 1863 built church in Melbourne, set on a prime 1963sqm corner site, has hit the market for the first time with price expectations of $4 million.

The freehold site at 648-656 High Street, Reservoir includes offices and church buildings spanning a combined floor area of 1159sqm, and a combined frontage of 91 metres.

648-656 High Street, Reservoir. Picture realcommercial.com.au

Part of the new Preston High Street Activity Centre, with proposed heights ranging from four to 10 storeys (STCA), the building is classed as Mixed Use Zoning, allowing for a for a variety of uses.

Home to the Uniting Church (former Wesleyan Methodist Church) until this year, joint sales agent Julian Heatherich from Savills – Melbourne said the site was part of a precinct which many buyer groups saw a lot of value in.

It’s the first time the historic church has been offered for sale. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

Since it hit the market via an Expressions of Interest campaign, Mr Heatherich said a number of groups were keen on converting the site to a childcare centre, or as a residential development due to its height allowances, or as a retail space.

“It is pretty rare – not a lot of churches come up compared to standard residential development sites so they’re pretty unique,” he said.

“You can do something pretty special there as it is that type of property that offers lot of different outcomes.”

Offered with a short term lease to a non-for-profit group, the site is a stone’s throw from the Regent Train Station and is set amongst the High Street retail and entertainment strip, comprising of restaurants, cafes and other retailers.

The buildings have historical significance in the city of Darebin. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

There is a heritage overlay attached to the bluestone gothic church, and the Victorian Heritage Database states that “The Uniting Church complex, Reservoir is of local historic, architectural, aesthetic and social significance to the City of Darebin.”

“The Uniting Church complex is historically significant as an illustration of the strength of Methodist faith in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and illustrates the important role that the church played in the development of the Reservoir community,” its statement of significance reads.

“The Uniting Church complex is socially significant for its strong community associations because of its continuous use as a Wesleyan, and later Uniting, church over 140 years.”

Architecturally, the church is considered a “fine example of the simple Early English Gothic style, which is representative of early church buildings in Victoria, particularly in rural areas”.

“The complex as a whole has aesthetic significance for its landmark qualities due to its historic character and scale and siting of the church and other buildings on a prominent corner in Reservoir.”