There has been a building on that location at Essendon since at least 1962 when the old DCA hangar was relocated there to serve as home for the Regional Transport Depot.
1963
Essendon Airport c.1963
2004
Essendon Airport 2004
Its a fair bit different than today and the structures closest to the runway look frangible and by virtue of the runway being shortened they are not as involved in the divergent fan area from the runway threshold. Quite a different kettle of fish.