Description
R Duncan, architect; 1886. Flamboyant French
Renaissance commercial building, occupying prominent
corner site on Great Western Road/Bank Street. 3
storeys and attics; tall slender tower at angle. Ground
floor polished granite, upper floors ashlar. All upper
floor openings round arched; bi- or tripartite. Ground
floor colonnade of Corinthian pilasters with ashlar
capitals. Arched doorpiece at angle with columnar
reveals and incised archivolt; coffered ceiling. Above,
bowed 3-light windows at 1st and 2nd floors rising to
slender tower; aedicular windows below clock faces;
corbelled parapet with cast-iron balustrade; lucarnes
project from conical fishscale slate roof with lantern.
Great Western Road; 4-bay elevation. 1st floor windows
deeply recessed with paired columnar reveals. 2nd
floor, bipartite arcaded windows; giant orders at 1st
(E) and flanking 4th bays. Off-centre feature comprising
curved balustraded balcony at 2nd bay (E) of 2nd floor
supported on bold pilasters flanking window below. Bank
Street elevation: 10 bays, arched bipartites at 1st
floor, arcaded in groups of 3 at 2nd floor. Sash
windows; plate glass glazing. Giant orders used to
define terminal bays. Band courses between floors; eaves
cornice; deep plain parapet. Tall aedicular dormer;
steeply pitched French slate roof with cast-iron
brattishing. Very fine continuous cast-iron balcony to
1st floor supported on cast-iron brackets.
Interior: much altered though ground floor decoration
survives. Cast-iron columns with decorative capitals;
rich coffered plaster ceiling; good tessellated floor.