Sixteen years after Blockbuster Video building was demolished the site is still vacant

February 28, 2008 was the day works started and at the time it brought back memories for many residents around Orange.

Orange City Council's heritage advisor at the time, Heather Nicholls, confirmed the team working on the demolition was taking photographs during the process to be placed in council archives.

The building located in 45 Sale Street had a history as a car dealership beginning with the Austin dealership of Eric Pollock and Laurie Board, with the Ford dealership starting there in the 1930s.

Other dealerships including Bill Seton, Canobolas Country Datsun and Canobolas Nissan also occupied the building at one time or another.

Video Ezy took over the site in 1987 followed by Blockbuster Video in 1996.

The building and three industrial sheds were being demolished for the redevelopment of the Summer Centre - now known as the Village on Summer Street.

A spokesman for Orange City Council, which approved the demolition, at the time said the project was waiting for the go-ahead from the RTA.

"The Roads and Traffic Authority is reviewing some of the traffic issues, and we are waiting to hear from them," he said.

"It is taking longer than expected."

Since its demolition, the land which currently sits next to Spilt Milk has largely been used as a private parking lot.

Despite revamps of the adjacent shopping centre, no works for a new building on the site appear to be in the pipeline.

Blockbuster did not exit Sale Street right away though.

Another video store was located at 29 Sale Street up until the mid-2010s. Australia's last Blockbuster store, in Western Australia, was closed at the end of March 2019.

The building in 29 Sale Street is now occupied by Veritas House.