Melbourne GPO II

This is one of Melbourne's oldest and beautiful buildings. The first official post office was constructed on this site in 1841. Later in 1859 a design competition for the exterior caused controversy when the government prefered 2nd place design to the winner.
In the next decade a grander redevelopment was made giving it two levels, with a third and a tower added later.
The complete redesign was completed by US architect Walter Burley Griffin in 1919 and opened to the public.

In 1992 Australia Post decide to end use of the building and thinking of selling it. It takes 10 years of plans being brought forward and continuously abandoned before finally in 2001 Morry Schwartz's Pan Urban and Adam Garrisson's Wetherby Capital win development rights.
Unfortunately in September 12 of the same year the heritage listed building nearly burns to the ground.
After much restoration and renovation it was ready late last year and now houses many fashion boutiques and cafes. It has also hosted private functions and fashion shows.

(interesting fact: Walter Burley Griffin was married to Marion Mahony, the first licensed female architect in history. They both had worked closely with Frank Lloyd Wright at his studio. Later when Walter would win the competition to design Australia's capital city Wright would never speak to him again. For the next 45 years Wright would try to discredit him as an architect, saying his own designs had been stolen and that Walter was just a "draftsman".)

sources: Only Melbourne, The Age, Walter Burley Griffin: In His Own Right.