52 Raglan Street
- Description Adaptive reuse of bar to offices
- Location Manly
- Sector Commercial
- Sub-Sector Commercial, Speculative Suites, Workplace
- Specialties Adaptive Reuse, Fitout, Heritage, Refurbishment
- Contract Type Fixed Lump Sum
- Delivery Method Construct Only
- Client Northern Beaches Council
- Architect Northern Beaches Council
- Photographer Paramount Studios
The Soldiers Memorial Hall at 52 Raglan Street has played many roles in the Manly community since 1920, beginning as a club for returned servicemen before later housing the Manly Rugby Club and, most recently, the Manly Fishos bar. After several years of vacancy, the project focused on the adaptive reuse of the heritage‑listed building, transforming a former social venue into functional office space for Council staff and essential community service providers while preserving its historical significance.
With the building in a state of disrepair, the project sought to restore and repurpose the space to support Northern Beaches Council staff and a range of community service providers. Working within a locally listed heritage building required careful planning, staged works and close collaboration with Council and heritage consultants to ensure the integrity of the original fabric was preserved.
Key works included building accessible entry to the ground floor, repairing walls and flooring, and undertaking a respectful upgrade of the heritage stone façade. Internally, new office partitioning, meeting rooms, breakout areas and a kitchenette were introduced to create a warm, functional and welcoming environment for community use.
Heritage specialists provided ongoing advice and prepared a Statement of Heritage Impact to guide the design, ensuring the upgrades met Development Approval requirements while maintaining the building’s cultural significance. This collaborative approach allowed the existing Council office to expand within the space without compromising heritage values.
The completed refurbishment has transformed the former hall into a vibrant community hub. It now accommodates organisations such as Local Kind, Our Community Hub and mentoring and counselling services, strengthening support networks for people in need across the Northern Beaches.