CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6289, 13 January 1882, Page 6

CITY IMPROVEMENTS.

FALLON'S BLOCK, H08.30N-STREET. Mr. T. H. White, architect, late of Hamilton, Waikato, has just prepared plans for a handsome block of buildings (of brick), which will be erected for Mr. Fallon, the well-known contractor, ou the large allotment at the corner of Cook aud Hobsonstreets, and formerly part of Hobaou's estate. The necessary excavations have already been made, but Mr. Fallon has not yet decided as to whether he will submit the erection of the block to tender, or execute the work himself. The allotment has a frontage to Hobson-street of 70 feet, and to Cook-street of 1:24 feet. It is intended to erect three shops in Hobson-street, and three dwelling-houses in Cook-street. According to the plans each place is fitted up with every convenience for business purposes, as also to tit them as residences. They are two storeys high, with kitchen and wash-house in basement, which latter affords excellent cellarage. On the Hobson-street frontage the corner shop is 31 x 21 in the clear, with parlour 14ft. x 12t't. 6in., aud office 7 x 12 iu rear. The private entrance is from Cook-street, a spacious staircase springing from it, some seven feet wide, to the first floor, in which a very handsome drafriug-room is placed in the comer, 2-t x IS. On this floor are also three bed-rooms, with well-lighted corridor. The other two shops are each 22 x 22 in the clear ; parlour, 14 x 13, and staircase 7 x 13, by which access is gained to the first floor, where is situated two bedrooms lo x 12 and 15 by S respectively ; drawing-room, 22'6 x 15. On the Cook-street frontage, the private dwel-ling-houses each contain—kitchen, 13'6 x 13 ; wash-houae, 11 x 14 ; pantry, 4x9, and staircase, 6 x 14, springing from the basement to the top storey. Coming to the ground floor, there's an entrance-hall 4 feet 6 inches wide ; drawing-room, 13 x 14; diningroom, 12 x 15 ; and two rooms on the first floor of a similar size. Each room iu these private residences has a fireplace ; aud to each shop and house a private yard. Two of the shops have return s:>shes ; the corner shop will have double windows, aud all the shop windows will be glazed with large sheets of plate-glass. All the entrances have circular heads with fau lights. The ground floor varies iu the shops from 14 to lli feet in height, aud in the private dwellings from 11 feet. i'u the first floor from 10'b" to 14 feet iu height, ami the attic floor partly ceiled up the roof has a height of 10 feet. The corner will form a quadrant of 16 feet radiu3. The fagule is broken up into bays varying iu width, tome of which have venetiau wimlo.vs, othors segment aud semicircular headed. The f;it;.ide of the block buiug so extensive, the architect ha 3 studied to give the design a uniformity of character without being monotonous. The style adopted is Greco-Italian.

The sanitary arrangements have been planned with great care ; all the cesspools are trapped, and trio drainage carried into the main sewer. At the rear of the above block of building? will be erected stabling ami carriage bouses for the tenants of the buildings, aud access will be had from Cookstreet by a gateway nine feet in width, which will be p:u'eil with concrete, as also all the yards and passages. Wheu tlnlabnve handsome block of Ijuilding3 are completed they will greatly improve the appearance oi that portion of Hobson-street.

MESSRS. T. AND H. COOKE'S WAREHOUSE AND FACTORY. Messrs. T. and H. Cooke have just completed arrangements for the erection of their new furniture warehouse and manufactory on the block of land held by them in Victoria and Elliott-streets. The block of buildings will have a frontage to the former street of 25 feet, and to the latter of 23 feet. The show warehouse will front Vietoriastreet, and, according to the plans, is three storeys in height, including basement. Interior dimensions o[ the warehouse are U9 feet 10 iuehc3 in depth, by a breadth of "23 feet 4 inches. Tho shop windows have return sashes, and are to be glazed with large sheet 3of plate - glass. Additional provision is made for lighting the shop by three large windows at the back of the building, and one at the side. A spacious staircase at the back of the warehouse leads to the showroom on the upper iloor, which latter will be of the same size as the warehouse, and lighted by three windo <s in Victoria-street, and three at the back of the building. The floor is supported by wooden girders and cast-iron columns; and the height of basemeut storey is 9 feet 6 inches ; of shop, 14 feet G inches ; upper floor, 12 feet. In the roof provision is made fer a loft, which willaltord additional storeroom. The manufactory will face Elliott-street. It will be oG feet G inches in dcptli by 30 feet in breadth in the clear, and be three storeys in height, including the basement. Each floor is supported by wooden storeyposts and girders, and Mimeeted with the corresponding floor of the warehouse by covered gangways. Light will be obtained by means of coupled windows on each floor. In the front corner will be an American lift communicating with each floor and staircase. The front of tho warehouse will correspond in height and general design with the adjoining premises of Messrs. Fowler, the sides ornamented with rustic quoins, and the top finished with ornamental cornice, terminated with balustrade and parapet. The windows on the upper floor are segment-headed, ornamented with moulded string course, architraves, and keystones. In the space beneath the windows | is an ornamental panel surmountod by mouldings. In the centre of the parapet there will be a panel, on which will be inscribed the name of the firm. The warehouse windows will be sheltered by a verandah, surmounted by a parapet, and supported on cast iron columns. The front of the manufactory will be executed in coloured brickwork, the windows ornamented with bands of white bricks and moulded sills ; and the parapet terminated with a string course of similar character. The buildings will be constructed of brick, with corrugated iron roof, and the Victoriastreet front executed in Portland cement. Mr. J. J. Holland is tho contractor, the contract price being £3000, and the contract time five mouths ; the architects are Messrs. Mahouey and sou, aud under whose supervision the work will be carried out. The erection of these buildings fills up the last gap in the Victoria-street frontage of what is generally known as the Theatre Royal block, and will greatly improve the appearance of the comer adjacent to Elliott-street.