Mont Clair is a delightfully stylish Art Deco seven-level apartment block at 347 Liverpool Street Darlinghurst.

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Its blonde brick façade curves, chrome front door handles, entrance foyer terrazzo stairs, cloud-shaped entrance awning, curved stair balustrade and elegant parquet flooring with contrasting boarder inlays are all original Art Deco design features.

The site was part of an original land grant to a solicitor, William Black in 1853 and was possibly part of an original windmill site. In 1885 the site was vacant and in 1936 was purchased by Nathaniel Freeman. Freeman was the managing director of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pty Ltd from 1925 and during the early 1940s was president of the Motion Picture Distributors Association and a member of the Department of Information’s National Film Council. It was designed in 1937 by Esmond B Wilshire and Hodges using reinforced concrete. The same firm also designed the Opthalmic Hospital nearby in Commonwealth Street, Lessey’s Garage in Riley Street, the North Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club and an aircraft hanger at Kingsford airport, among other buildings.

Mont Clair was originally serviced apartments and during World War II (1939-45) was taken over by American servicemen.

It was favourably reported in The Modern Flat magazine as “clear cut, modern, efficient and attractive … the main brickwork being a russet biscuit tone, which is a relief … each unit comes with a refrigerator, hot water service and refuse destructor, direct inter-house communications with the manager’s office and telephone, controlled by the general switchboard operator.”

The built-in kitchen fridge, rooftop garden and the flag pole were design features noted in Building magazine of August 1938 as well as the units’ designed-in eating nook.

This landmark building and Art Deco gem remains remarkably intact with the coal bunker for storing coal for heating, original lifts, original foyer light fittings, concierge desk and switchboard still remaining.

By Andrew Woodhouse
Heritage Solutions