CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5897, 7 August 1884, Page 3

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

» ! MESBBS HOBBS & CO.'S NEW " . BUILDINGS. Ia -the present period of depression, when every second person one meets talks of "bad tunes," "no business," Ac., it is refreshing to find at least one person who has faith in the future of the city and colony. ' Mr Frederick Hobbs, who,-as it were, has grown up with the city, has' erected, and all but completed, a very handsome and substantial block of business premises fronting oh Colombo street and Cathedral square. This very hand- j •on?— block when finished will add con- I _derably to our street architecture, al- ~ though there is no waste in what has come to be called the gingerbread order of architecture. Commencing with the cellarage, it may be said that by'a very ingenious device the trouble and expense caused by the lifting of the concrete floor by the water will be prevented. The concrete floor is intersected by small drain pipes, and the water drains into a sump. When the floor has Bet two iron pipes will be put into the sump and caps screwed on, so that the floor will be perfectly hard and dry. There are six cellars in all, having . 6ft 6_, head room. Three of these cellars are 37 x 12, one 53 x 12, and two 40 x 23 each. A circular staircase ascends from these cellars to the main hall fronting on Cathedral square. Those on the Colombo **_*_t _untage have also staircases leading - from the shops. The one fronting on the right-of-way has also a staircase leading from the private entrance in the right-of-way to the "cellar. Ample provision for ughtang baa been made, all the cellars being nrotided with areas, and there are alsofe*e^l_»« } ineach. The elevatien, as already said, is both handsome and subJ*a»tiaL The ftmrfage ou Colombo street asm 6m, and 116 ft on Cathedral square. The sain entrance to the building is in Cathedral square. It is a decorated door ma tower, which is carried up breaking - the fine of the ijornice. The height to the top of the tower is 57ft 6in. The first floor windows are square-headed, and those of ■ / the*«cfad/_rc_ar-headed. A very handsome verandah of iron and glass will run aU round t_el>__,ding on the ground floor. There-axe nine shops, five out of which Kent on Cathedral square and four on Colombo street. Three of these are 37 * IS; the fourth one, which occupies we corner of the building it is proposed woivkie into three, the size of the shop as 8l »»w being 51 x 15. The four shops « Cathedral square are 12x20 each. At the back of these latter are four offices, .each 12x16. The entrance hall is 12ft wide, and in it is the main staircase leading to the second fioer. On the ground floor there are a number of lavatories, Ac. The shops are furnished with lifts to the cellars, and all the offices nave fireplaces. On the first floor there are three rooms fronting on Colombo street, each 37 x 13, «nd one facing the Square and Colombo street 51 x 13. There are also four offices, two being respectively 12 x 20 and two i f **** 31rn g _lese are a suite of •club rooms, comprising club room, 25 x 19; bulisrd room, 21 x 26; strangers' room, avatory, Ac. This suite, in addition to -_teu-in staircase, has a private stair and wranceby the right-of-way. It can also be shut off by folding doors in the archway of the passage. Oa the second floor aareaßy splendid room, which has been Roared specially with a view to dancing. J-his room runs along the whole frontoo Coloml) o street, and is 54 _4__ T a BmaU room 12 x 12 - ----asaehed. There are two fire-places in the »»ai itself, and ene in the small room r-erred to. Beyond this are two large wooib, one 42 _ 24, and one 54 x 25, which «« probable will be used for club purposes, and divided into three. There are __ ,^ongl^>ms ** «■*■»■ floor, including S? %P?' « d .i ti «W is a very ample suj> B_f_*ft*_?*»'•*«••• The waterreppry the building is Te ry geod, a _i^i,_? to -ramia_ right through - collection on The fi a supplied from four 400-gallon *-__? 100 *' which *"> fiUed fro\n an ' BV_^*f ft „\% Premises, thrown up -of &fw?> hot akeagine. Theheighte and fiJ « nea "» *> follows,--round a first floor, 13ft; second floor, 12ft.

The bunding is of brick and stone, most substantiaUy buUt throughout and finished. The architects "are Messrs Armson, Collins and Lloyd, the contractors, Messrs Greig and Hunter. ___