The Argus Building
284-294 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
- 7 floors
- 8 businesses
What's available here Add a listing link
| Looking to | In this building | Area guide | Search the building |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lease space | — | — | realcommercial.com.au ↗commercialrealestate.com.au ↗ |
Each link opens a Google search limited to that site.
100 years standing
- 1926Completed
- 2013Refurbished
- TodayStill standing
32 building permits · 3 news storiesFull timeline ↓
About The Argus Building
The Argus Building is a commercial building with seven floors above ground, mainly used for educational and research purposes. It is covered by a heritage overlay. It was designed by Godfrey & Spowers and completed around 1926.
At a glance
Key facts
- Building type
- 🏢 Commercial
- Completed
- 1926
- Height
- —
- Floors
- 7
- Footprint
- 1,976 m²
- Architect
- Godfrey & Spowers Unconfirmed ?We don't have data to 100% confirm this data point as yet.
- Businesses
- 8
- Car spaces
- —
- Strata plan
- PS742560 · 4 lots
- Planning zone
- CCZ1
- Permits on record
- 32
Score cards
Melbourne Central Station 2 min walk · 6 tram stops within 400 m
191 cafés, 19 grocers, 3 medical within 250 m
55 street trees within 150 m · park 323 m away
22,525 people pass daily nearby · 46 licensed venues within 200 m
Calculated from PTV timetable stops, the City of Melbourne business census, street trees, pedestrian sensors and liquor licences.
The building team
The people and companies behind the design, construction and management of The Argus Building.
Location & neighbourhood
Getting around
Train station2 min · 145 m
Train station2 min · 155 m
Tram stop1 min · 41 m
Tram stop1 min · 89 m
Tram stop3 min · 268 m
Straight-line walking estimate. Source: PTV GTFS, CC BY 4.0.
Within a 3-minute walk
Who lives in Melbourne (CBD)
ABS Census 2016 via City of Melbourne (CC BY).
Being built nearby
48-50 A'Beckett Street43 floors · 175 m awayapprovedBusinesses in The Argus Building
8 businesses recorded in the City of Melbourne's latest business census.
Core Realty Pty Ltd
Crown Asian Supermarket
Glory Nails & Beauty II
Homm Dessert At Heart
Lanzhou Beef Noodle Bar
Mail Order Software Australia
Melbourne Institute of Technology
YGF Melbourne
Looking for space in The Argus Building?
Timeline
Everything that has happened at The Argus Building: listings, news, works, planning and history.
Planning & heritage
Planning controls
DDO1Design and Development Overlay: limits on building height, setbacks and designDDO10Design and Development Overlay: limits on building height, setbacks and designHO1049Heritage Overlay: a permit is needed to demolish or change the outside of heritage placesPO1Parking Overlay: controls on how much car parking new development can provideVicmap Planning, © State of Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning), CC BY 4.0. Plain-English summaries are ours. Check the planning scheme for exact controls.
Subdivision & permits
- Plan of subdivision
- PS742560
- Lots on the plan
- 4
- Owners corporation
- Yes (common property)
- Building permits on record
- 32
- Estimated cost of works
- About $70.9m
Costs are estimates declared on permits, not amounts spent. Stages of a project repeat its value, so we group them and count each project once. A value can cover a project spanning several buildings. Our calculation from City of Melbourne building permits, CC BY 4.0.
History of the site
How it's been recorded over time
City of Melbourne Census of Land Use and Employment, since 2002.
Community
What people say about The Argus Building in public forums and groups, and reviews left here.
Tenant reviews
No reviews of The Argus Building yet. Be the first to tell future tenants what it's like.
Reviews are checked before they're published. No one is named without permission.
Rate and review The Argus Building
Frequently asked questions
Is The Argus Building residential or commercial?
The Argus Building is a commercial building. The City of Melbourne lists its main use as educational/research.
When was The Argus Building built?
The Argus Building was completed in 1926.
How many floors does The Argus Building have?
The Argus Building has 7 floors above ground.
What businesses are in The Argus Building?
The latest council census counted 8 businesses in The Argus Building, including Core Realty Pty Ltd, Crown Asian Supermarket and Glory Nails & Beauty II.
Is there office or retail space for lease in The Argus Building?
See the commercial listings on this page, or search this address on realcommercial.com.au and commercialrealestate.com.au.
Who designed and built The Argus Building?
Godfrey & Spowers designed The Argus Building. The building team section has the sources.
What public transport is near The Argus Building?
Melbourne Central Station is the nearest train station, about 2 minutes' walk. The nearest tram stop is Melbourne Central Station/La Trobe St #5, about 1 minute's walk.
What is the planning zone for The Argus Building?
The site is in the Capital City Zone - Schedule 1 (CCZ1). It's also under a Heritage Overlay (HO1049).
Does The Argus Building have an owners corporation?
Plan of subdivision PS742560 has 4 lots and common property, which means it is managed by an owners corporation.
Has any work been done on The Argus Building recently?
The City of Melbourne has issued 32 building permits for The Argus Building since 1995. The most recent was in October 2025.
Compare with nearby buildings
| Building | Type | Distance | Floors | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Argus Building | Commercial | — | 7 | 1926 |
| Eporo Tower | Mixed use | 80 m | 44 | 2016 |
| Empire | Mixed use | 86 m | 62 | 2016 |
| UniLodge Melbourne Central | Student accommodation | 96 m | 48 | — |
That's Built compiles information from public records, research and contributions. Details are checked against multiple sources where possible but may contain errors and aren't professional advice. Sources: City of Melbourne building permits (CC BY 4.0), CLUE building information (CC BY 4.0), CLUE business establishments (CC BY 4.0), Development Activity Monitor (CC BY 4.0), Geocoded National Address File (G-NAF) (Open G-NAF EULA (CC BY 4.0 based)). Street View and business details © Google Maps.