A symmetrical three storey apartment block finished in rendered brick. The building presents as two projecting wings with the central recessed entry rising through the full height of the building to break the terracotta tiled roof at the eaves line. Balconies extend half way across each level. Several of these have now been built in.
The Hermitage, a block of twelve flats, was built in 1937 by the General Construction Co Ltd to the design of O H Jorgensen for husband and wife, Nicholas and Margot O’Donohue. The Hermitage was so named in memory of the house previously on the site, which was a small timber dwelling annexed to Governor Charles La Trobe’s cottage next door, and used by him as guest quarters.
Ole Henry Jorgensen (1889-1978) was a well-known architect in his day, especially for his work for the Catholic Church, including Xavier College chapel (1927-1934) and the new St Peter’s Church in Toorak (1933-34). He was the son of Simon Jorgensen, a master mariner from Norway, and his Victorian-born wife Nora, née Schreiber, and older brother of Justus Jorgensen creator of Montsalvat in Eltham and founder of the artists’ colony centred there. His uncle, Robert Schreiber, was an architect and Ole went into partnership with him around 1914 under the name of Schreiber and Jorgensen. No doubt he did his apprenticeship with Schreiber’s original firm of J E Bourke and Schreiber. Around 1930 it appears that Robert Schreiber retired from the practice leaving Ole to practise under his own name.
The General Constructions Co Ltd which was responsible for the construction of the flats was an Australia wide company with Bernard Evans as its managing director. Bernard Evans (1905-1981) in the post war years became one of the state's largest developers of flats and apartments. The son of a builder he studied architectural drawing at the Working Men’s College at night while working for his father. In the late 1920s Evans began building speculative villas. By 1935 he was describing himself as a designer and master builder. After spending time in London he became registered as an architect in Victoria in 1940. He was Lord Mayor of Melbourne 1958-60 and was knighted in 1962.
The O’Donohues, who commissioned the building, were both lawyers. It was claimed in 1934 that Margot O’Donohue was the first female lawyer in Victoria to complete her degree after marriage. By then she also had an 18 month old son.
Building plans. Public Record Office of Victoria: VPRS 11200/P4/unit 75/item 17998
Building files. Public Record Office of Victoria: VPRS 11201/P1/unit 215/item 17998