CITY" IMPROVEMENTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7923, 30 January 1904, Page 5

CITY" IMPROVEMENTS.

BUILDING IN CATHEDRAL SQUAEE. Workmen* are now busily engaged- on the new building on the vacant comer of Cathedral Square, near the General Post Ofßco. The . building will be in brick and stone, and tlie plans prepared by the architects, Messrs E'uttrell Bros., show that the Renaissance style will be followed, the whole being treated with simplicity, boldness and dignity. Shape and proportion have been kept in mind, but the.c is sufficient detail to make the conception interesting, and when the building is complete it should be one of the most imposing in Christchurch. It will extend along the western side of the Post Office for a distance of 65ft, there being a space of 10ft between the two buildings. From the Post Office' to the corner of° Worcester Street it will run 100 ft and alon£ Worcester Street to the Federal Club 133 ft. Alongside the club there will be a right-of-way lhit wide. Warehouses/ shops and offices will occupy the ground floor. From the footpath at the end of the Post Office there will be a flight of steps, which will, give an entrance into a corridor, and this will g ive an approach to two suites . of offices in connection with two different warehouses. One warehouse will be 84ffc by 35ft, and the other 43ft by 56ft. Connected- with the warehouses there will be a basement, 9ft high. From the Post Office corner right round to the Federal Club there will be shops, eight having been provided for. One of them will be 70ft by 30f+ with a cellar 100 ft by 24ft- There will bs a common -yard, which will be available for airthe occupants of the building. The shop at the corner of the Square and Worcester Street will be in connection wifch the cufe on tlie third floor. The average dimensions of the shops will be 48ft by 15ft, but the corner j one will be 42ft by 28ft 6m.. The first floor will be divided into one warehouse and twelve suites of offices. Every suite will be provided with windows on to Cathedral Square or Worcester Street, and there will be a plentiful supply of light. Each suite will also have its own- etrong-room and other conveniences. • On the second floor there will bo a y large and commodious cafe. It will be approached by two electric lifts in the comer shop, in which there -will be a lounge for people who are waiting. On landing at the top, the visitor steps into an open lounge, 37ft square. From this there j will be access to other lounges, one for ladies and gentlemen, 32ft by 27ft, and another for ladies alone, 37ft by 22ft. Besides this, a smoking-room will he provided for gentlemen. (Prom the general lounge there j will be an entrance into a tea-room, 40ft by 94ft 6in. From the tea-room there will ba access on to a -balcony on Cathedral Square, 45ft long and 7ft wide. At intervals along the balcony there will be oriel.. There will be at the extreme south of the building appliances for serving the tea-room, and towards the west there will be the bakehouse and ovens, all on the top floor. -The kitchen, 27ft 6in by 18ft, and the scullery, 20ft by 10ft, will also be in that locality. On this floor there will he a photographer's suite of rooms, an entrance being obtained from the general lounge to an art gallery 27ft by 20ft ; and behind there will be a waiting-room and a dressing-room, besides all other conveniences. It is expected that the building will be completed in nine months. . ' /