George Street Cinemas To Be Demolished

Sydney’s iconic George Street Cinemas have been earmarked for demolition following the City of Sydney’s approval of two Mirvac development applications to be constructed on the site. In its place two new mixed use towers, approximately 150 and 270 metres tall, will rise into the Sydney skyline.

These two new towers will be comprised of commercial spaces, a child-care facility, hotel accommodation, 507 residential apartments and a boutique cinema.

Currently the site plays host to the Event Cinema complex which boasts 4,170 seats across 16 screens, the largest room sitting 805 patrons. According to planning documents procured by the City Hub the proposed new cinema complex will see those numbers fall to just 262 seats across four screens, with the largest room seating 166 people.

Whilst this is a significant change as the development applications of both Mirvac and Event Hospitality stated, “”There are no applicable planning provisions requiring retention of the existing cinema or provision of new cinema of the same size.”

The George Street cinemas have been an institution of the city since the 1970s, playing host to countless movie premieres and red carpet events. This proposed redevelopment will undoubtedly see a shift in the city’s film scene and the cinema going experience, a sentiment echoed by City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

“It’s still special to go out to the movies, but the way we do that is very different to when cinemas on this site were in their heyday,” she said. “New cinema developments at Broadway and Central Park are indicative of the change to a model where theatres seat a smaller audience, in a more intimate setting.”