Alexandria Town Hall

Alexandria Town Hall
General information
Type	Government town hall
Architectural style	Inter-War Free Classical
Address	73 Garden Street
Town or city	Alexandria, New South Wales
Country	Australia
Construction started	1880
Completed	1881
Renovated	1927–1928
Client	Alexandria Borough Council
Owner	Sydney City Council (current)
Design and construction
Architect	Ferdinand Reuss Snr (1881)
Main contractor	Lander
Renovating team
Architect	D. T. Morrow and Gordon (1928)
Main contractor	E. V. Campbell (1928)

The Alexandria Town Hall is an Australian heritage-listed town hall located in Alexandria, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales. It stands at 73 Garden Street. It was built in 1880–81 in the Victorian architectural style by Ferdinand Reuss Snr. Significant alterations which changed the facade to an Inter-War Free Classical style were completed in 1928 by architects D. T. Morrow and Gordon. The Town Hall was the seat of Alexandria Municipal Council from 1881 to 1948 and since 1948 has been a branch library, community centre and council depot for the City of Sydney and the South Sydney councils.

The site of the Town Hall was acquired by the council in Garden Street in 1879 and Ferdinand Reuss Snr was commissioned as the architect. The Town Hall was completed and opened in June 1881 by the Mayor, Charles Brandling Henderson. By 1893 a two storey terrace, serving as a residence for the mayor, was constructed to the north of the Town Hall.

Following the amalgamation of the Alexandria municipality into the City of Sydney in 1948, the town hall ceased being a council seat and discussion occurred over its future use. The hall was considered for use as a branch of the City of Sydney Library (nearby Waterloo Town Hall was also later chosen) and on 16 February 1951, Sydney Lord Mayor Ernest Charles O'Dea opened the Alexandria Branch Library, with the hall venue, a limited number of council offices and the rear depot retained. From 1968–1982 and 1989–2004, the hall came under the control of the Northcott/South Sydney Municipal Council and the City of South Sydney, and housed the offices of the Municipal Engineer's Department. The hall continued its use as a branch library until 1990 and in 1994–1997 the hall was also home to The Women's Library.

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