Melbourne’s iconic Nicholas Building is under threat.

This iconic building in the CBD is currently at risk of falling into the hands of property developers.

It could be turned into apartments, or into a commercial building with astronomical rents, pushing out the hundreds of artists and creatives who currently call the building home.

The Greens and Melbourne’s creative community are fighting back.

But we need your help.

Sign and share our open letter to put pressure on the State Labor Government to step in and save the Nicholas Building.

Open letter to the Premier of Victoria
CC: Minister for Planning
CC: Minister for Creative Industries

Dear Premier,

I’m writing to urge you to take action to save the Nicholas Building on Swanston St in Melbourne’s CBD.

The Nicholas Building has been a vital hub for artists, designers, and other creatives for more than 40 years, providing affordable workspaces and fostering a sense of community. It’s an iconic part of our Melbourne CBD, featuring on tourism promotional material and attracting people from around the world to our city. It is unique.

Now the building is up for sale and we are deeply concerned about losing the iconic creative and artistic community that calls the Nicholas Building home.

Huge rent increases have already forced many of the creatives that operate in the Nicholas Building to leave. If the building is sold to commercial interests, we risk losing this community entirely. What a huge loss that would be to the life of our CBD.

We cannot afford to lose this historic and iconic community, which has played such a vital role in shaping Melbourne’s artistic identity – and our inner city should not just be a place for those who can afford to pay expensive rents. A diverse, creative, thriving city is good for everyone, and for our economy.

We urge you to take steps to preserve the Nicholas Building, including exploring options for public ownership, state government buying the building (potentially in partnership with local government or philanthropic interests), subsidising rents, or other creative solutions that will allow it to continue serving as an affordable, thriving home for Melbourne’s creative community.

Thank you for your attention regarding this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

Ellen Sandell, State MP for Melbourne,
Gabrielle De Vietri, Greens Spokesperson for the Arts,
and the undersigned concerned members of the community