A MAMMOTH BUILDING.

New Zealand Mail, 15 January 1902, Page 11

A MAMMOTH BUILDING.

It is intended in London to build an enormous structure in the Strand, at the point where the new street from Hoi born will debouch. Both British and American capitalists are interested, among the former being Lord Ivintore. The proposed building will have a frontage of 750 rt to the Strand, with even larger frontages to the new streets shortly to be opened. The structure will be of steel, seven stories high, save a portion on which will be added three more stories. One of its special features (says a contemporary) will be a spacious rotunda, under a~ lofty dome, in the centre of the building, intended to form a general rendezvous. The basement will consist of extensive safety deposit vaults, a large restaurant, engines, boilers and machinery, for furnishing heat and electric light, and the power necessary for running thirty lifts. The ground floor will contain special accommodation for banks and insurance companies requiring largo rooms, and for shops. The upper floors will be given up to offices. It is estimated that the actual floor space, available for letting purposes, will amount to 900,000 square feet, and that there will be more than 0000 rooms in the building. The rents payable by the tenants will include charges for heating and electric lighting, cleaning and telephone service. Every office, or suite of offices, will contain a telephone, and the landlords will contract with the telephone company for a sufficient number of trunk lines to meet all requirements. The lift service will be ifi operation, all night, and the building will be accessible day and night throughout the year. It is estimated that the annual maintenance charges will bo upwards of £35,000, and that the construction will probably take two and a half years.