At precisely 3.30pm today, 120 years ago, the opening ceremony of Newcastle Post Office was held in front of a crowd of about 10,000.
Today the long neglected State Heritage Listed building is owned by Dr Jerry Schwartz, who purchased the site in 2018.
Speaking to the Newcastle Herald in June, Dr Schwartz says he remains committed to his original vision - an Indigenous cultural centre in the building's basement, shops and a cafe on the ground floor and a function centre on the top floor.
The Herald can reveal that builders are unlikely to be onsite until March 2024. This means a 2022 timeline that advertised the staged opening of the building, starting with the cultural centre in late 2023 and finishing with the conference centre in late 2025, will not be realised.
However, it still may be possible for some parts of the project to be completed within the timeframe.
