Ann Brentani came from a poor Irish background and married an ex-convict, Carlo Brentani. Carlo Brentani eventually made his money through gold-buying and had a jewellery business in Collins Street, Melbourne. He then invested his money in property. After Carlo had died, Ann also began buying property and finally settled in Fortview, which she had built five years before her death. The property was then sold, became a boarding house and was later divided into flats. From around 1917, Fortview and neighbouring properties, Seaforth and Tourello, existed as a large private hotel, which was broken up again and sold in 1921. The property was listed as “Fortview Flats” in 1940 and in 1970 it was converted into the Pinacotheca Art Gallery.