The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-01-28 00:00:00

IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTLE-STREET, &c

Great improvements are about to be effected on the
east side of Castle-street, commencing at Union-court,
including the " Queen's Arms," now untenanted, at
the top of Cook-street, and extending to within a st ort
distance of Harrington-street, which will impart a new
and imposing feature to that great thoroughfare, as well
as afford increased convenience to the public. The direc-
tors of the Commercial Bank are the proprietors of the
premises fronting Castle-street, from Cook-street south-
ward to the shop now occupied by Mr. Poore, the third
door from Harrington-street, and also the warehDuses
and offices in the rear, including those running a conside-
rable way down Cook-street, those in Orange-court, &c. ;
and great progress has already been made in pulling the
whole down, to make way for the intended modern erec-
tions. The directors of the Branch Bank of England have
purchased the " Queen's Arms," and have, we believe,
all but concluded arrangements with the proprietors of
the adjoining premises extending northward to Union-
court, the archway of which will be removed, and the
street being thrown open, will, in conjunction with the
opening out of Cook-street, as mentioned below, enable
the directors to erect a building completely detached from
other premises, which, of course, in cases of fire or other
emergencies, is extremely desirable; and it is fully ex-
pected they, too, will shortly commence similar clearing
operations.
The principal object of both companies is to erect new
banks in what may be called the centre of business, and
also, as respects the Commercial Bank, to lay out the re-
maining ground to the best advantage in commercial
buildings. The archway under the " Queen's Arms" is
to be removed, and the street opened out, which will
itself be a great public accommodation; and, together
with other intended improvements in that part of Cook-
street, will probably accelerate the long talked of and
highly desirable extension of it in a direct line through
Temple-court to a point in Whitechapel.
On a portion of the ground already cleared by the Corn-
mercial Bank on the south side of Cook-street, a pile of
merchants' offices is to be erected, in the Italian palazzio
style, having a neat but unpretending façade, an ample
number of windows with bold architraves, and a sur-
mounting cornice enriched with trusses. The principal
entrance to these will be in the centre, by a perforated
iron door, or gate, which, if it can be cast according to
the design we have seen,—and which is highly unique and
elaborately foliated—will be one of the most beautiful
specimens of the kind in the kingdom. From this door
a wide passage will lead direct through the premises to
Orange-court, where there will be a corresponding door-
way ; and in the centre, this passage will expand into a
large circle, reaching to the roof, containing the stair-
cases leading to the upper stories, and well lighted from a
dome, or rather cone at the top, which will have a fine
effect. The basement story will be entirely occupied by
a wine merchant. The division of the building facing
Cook-street will be three stories in height; that fronting
Orange-court only two stories.

Tbe principal range, however, to be erected by the
Commercial Bank, will comprise the bank itself, at the
corner of the two streets, and the shops and premises ad-
joining it on the south. The bank will have a front to
Castle-street 46 feet in length, and will run in depth down
Cook-street to the offices noticed 96 feet. This will also
be in the palazzio style ; but, though several designs for
the façade (which we have seen, and all of them possess-
ing their beauties and advantages,) have been submitted,
no one of them has yet been definitively fixed upon, so
far as regards details. We learn, however, that it is not
intended to erect " a splendid commercial edifice ;" but,
that the building will, properly speaking, have no preten-
sion to architectural magnificence, the main desideratum
being to render it plain, yet neat, and above all, commo-
dious and substantial, without regard to meretricious
adornment. The new building, and also the premises
occupying the remainder of the ground south of it, will
be, however, costly, not gaudy, and also novel in them-
selves, inasmuch as the whole frontage to Castle-street,
109 feet in length, and also that to Cook-street, will be of
finely wrought granite—a stone at once beautiful, dura-
ble as adamant, and for ever preserving its colour, every
shower of rain tending but to freshen its appearance.
The first design submitted was in accordance with an in-
tention to afford the bank a smaller frontage to Castle-
street than tht t now determined upon ; and, in order to
give it the desired façade, part of the site of a house fur-
ther south is to be appropriated.
In the interior of the Bank there will be four handsome
columns supporting the central part of the roof : the ceil-
ings will be fireproof, with intersected groining in the
palazzio style, springing from the sides and pillars. The
three upper stories (over the Bank) are to be planned and
finished so as to be available as a commodious residence
for the manager, or sub-manager of the establishment.
The remaining ground to the south (in Castle-street) will
be occupied by handsome shops, with convenient mercan-
tile offices above them. The architect for the whole of
these buildings, is our townsman Mr. John Cunningham,
and we doubt not they will do honour to his taste and
judgment, as their cost will to the liberality of the pro-
prietors.

The design for the Branch Bank of England, to be
built at the opposite corner of Cook-street, with a beauti-
ful frontage extending along Castle-street to Union-court,
has not, we understand, been yet finally decided upon in
all particulars. One has, however, been submitted by a
London architect, who has not yet examined the site;
but, from what we can learn, it is so meagre, and deficient
in novelty and effect, as compared with those of the other,
that it is probable something more in keeping with the
improvements noticed will be ultimately adopted in its
place.