The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-27 00:00:00

Architectural Improvements in the City.

It is hardly too much to say that the city of London, in
many of its more central parts, and especially in the bank-
ing quarter, is now in prOcess of reconstruction ; for never
within living memory were there more building operations
in simultaneous progress than at present. It is not so niuch
to railway works, the construction of bridges, and the like,
that allusion is now made as to street architecture, and the
stately and commodious manner in which the mercantile
commtulity is being housed, and which in that respect was
probably never before equalled in this metropolis. The cost
of the superstructures which are being reared, great as that
is in every case, bears no comparison to :that of the ground
on which they stand, for the value of land in some parts of
the city has risen to a degree perfectly fabulous, the sites
of houses removed with a view to reconstruction having of
late been bought at the rate actually of a million, and a
half sterling the statute acre, and at a higher rate than
that even in some intances. At present in Lombard-
street alone four banking-houses, all within sight from one
point, are being rebuilt in a style of palatial grandeur,
and others equal in stateliness have recently been erected.
The most striking of the buildings now in course of
erection there is that intended to be used as the bank of
Messrs. Bevan. It is of four stories, and upwards of 60ft
high, with a frontage nearly 100 ft in width, and extends
backward from Lombard-street 115 ft. It is being erected by
Messrs. Ashby and Horner, from designs by Mr Hardwick,
R.A. The front is built almost entirely of Portland stone,
and presents a very magnificent appearance, having a prin-
cipal entrance in the centre of stately proportions, and being
adorned by massive columns and an elegant cornice. The
building, which throughout is fire-proof, will probably cost
£30,000 or £lO,OOO. Scarcely less striking is that now in
course of construction in the same street, for the accommo-
dation, principally, of the Royal Insurance Company. It is,
also, four stories high, with an extensive frontage cf stone,
both in Lombard-street and Clement's-lane, and having a
main entrance a great width and height, Near to it a build-
ing intended for a bank, and facing Lombard-street and
Clement's-lane, has recently been begun. As yet the walls
are but little above the foundations ; but enough is visible
to indicate the elegance of the design, a prominent feature
being the introduction into the elevation of pillars of polished
granite. A substantial building erected in 1859 in Clement's-
lane, has been taken down to make way for it. The new bank
of Messrs. Robaxtes, Lubbock, and Co., of which Mr Hard-
wick, R.A., is the architect, has just been finished. It is of
four stories, with an entrance at each extremity ; the base-
ment being of stone, with massive ornamentations, and the
upper part of white brick, slightly decorated. The London
and County Bank, close by, is of recent erection,and though
smaller than any to which reference has been made, is a re-
markably handsome building. It is entirely of stone, with
11 windows in front and a very elegant entablature. In a
lane running from Lombard-street to Cornhill, and known•
as George-yard, a new club is being built, from designs by
Mr Fowler, the architect. Near the Monument, with a front-
age in Gracechurch-street and Eastcheap, the Scottish Com-
mercial Insurance Company have lately erected a building,
which forms a conspicuous ornament to that part of the city.
At the corner of Rood-lane, Fenchurch-street, a substantial
edifice of four or five stories has been built for mercantile
purposes, and finished within the last few months.
Of late several very handsome banking and other premises
have been erected in Minoing-lane,giving with Clothworkers
noble building erected within the last few years--
and the Commercial Sale rooms, an air to the whole street
almost as imposing as that of Pall-mall. The directors of
the London and Westminster Bank are making extensive
additions to their premises in Lothbury, rendered necessary
by their increasing business. Again, a very elegant and
costly building, erected by Messrs. Cubitt ar d Co., on the
site of the old Cock Tavern in Threadneedle-street, for the
North British and Mercantile Insurance Company, has just
been finished, imparting additional grace to the surrounding
architecture, which in that part of the city is conspicuous
for magnificence. Some buildings of minor interest, but
harmonising well with the massive character of the
thoroughfare, are being put up in Broad-street; and the
ancient church of Austinfriars hard by, is in course of re-
storation at considerable cost. On the site of the old East
India House in Leadenhall-street a substantial range of
merchants' offices, four stories high, has been built, eover-
ing the whole area. The directors of the Union Bank of
London are enlarging their premises at the back of
Prince's-street in the direction of Grocers' Hall, and
close by, on the site of the premises of a banking firm
of long standing recently taken down, a handsome struc-
ture, adjoining St Mildred's Church, at the east end of
the Poultry, is about to rise. Guildhall is being roofed
and restored at a coat of '►bout £70,000, and it is in con-
templation, provided the consent of the Common Coun-
cil can be obtained, to take down and reconstruct all the
adjacent buildings now used as offices of the corporation and
the law courts there. The scheme was at one time so bold
as to suggest the sale of the Mansion-house, and the erec-
tion in its stead of a suitable residence for the Lord Mayor
within the congenial precincts of Guildhall.

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