APA Building, Melbourne

APA Building
Photographed soon after completion
General information
Type	Office
Location	Cnr of Elizabeth Street & Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Completed	1890
Demolished	1980
Height
Antenna spire	53 metres
Roof	47 metres
Technical details
Floor count	12
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Oakden, Addison & Kemp with John Beswicke

The APA Building was a skyscraper in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; at 12 storeys and 53m to the tip of its corner spire, it became the Australia's tallest commercial building at the time of its completion in mid 1890 (and remained so for decades) exceeding the previous height record set by of the Federal Coffee Palace. It was later reputed (erroneously) to have been the world's tallest at the time.^[1]

Originally known as the Australian Building (and also known as the Australian Property Investment Co or API Building), it was located at 49 Elizabeth Street, on the corner of Flinders Lane in Melbourne, and was notable for the way the Queen Anne style design lent it very vertical proportionals, enhanced by the steep roof, spires and gables of the top floors. In 1912, its height to roof was surpassed by Sydney's 50.25 metre Culwulla Chambers, though still taller when counting its spire. It remained Melbourne's tallest until 1929.

Despite a heritage listing, Heritage Victoria granted a permit to the owners for its demolition in 1980 to make way for a nondescript five storey concrete and glass office building with ground floor retail.