GEORGE STREET AGAIN

Evening Star, Issue 20052, 18 December 1928, Page 2

GEORGE STREET AGAIN

NEW SHOPS AND BUSINESS OFFICES Further evidence of'George street’s development as a shopping centre will shortly be available. Mr D. G-. Mowat has in Hand the plans for the erection of new two-storied premises on the site of the old Beehive Buildings, between the Plaza Picture Theatre and the D.S.A. Although this step in architectural progress will mean that a very old landmark in George street will have to be demolished, it must nevertheless be regarded with the utmost fav<aur, for not only will the new building accommodate shops, but also it will provide some very .fine suites of modern busine: apartments. The actual constructional work will commence immediately after the holidays. According to the plans/ the front elevation, to be devoted to shop frontages, will have a very handsome appearance, and provision has been made, of course, for a hanging verandah, designed so as to allow a maximum amount of light to enter the shop windows. As regards the windows, quite a new departure is being followed. These will bo sashed in antique style, with metal over the wood, .this eliminating the necessity for. french polishing. The'whole of the elevation is carried on a, large girder, which does away with any supporting columns in the window fronts calculated to inter-, nipt a view of the goods displayed. At the back of the shops there are

to be rooms most suitable for business premises, and in the first floor ample accommodation is to be provided for offices or for the consulting rooms of professional men. Access to the back 'portion of the ground floor is obtained by means of a corridor with double swinging glass doors at each end, provision for extra display being arranged for by the in troduction of windows along this corridor. Altogether there will be an imposing expanse of plate glkss. The upper story of the building will be beautifully finished in white, and set out in the Ashler design with mouldings and plasters. When finished the construction will rest on solid concrete foundations, the walls will be of brick, and the roof of iron. Quite a feature of the first floor is the fact that a great girder runs all in one span. Here again the need from wall to wall, so that the roof is for supporting columns is eliminated. As regards the interior, the shops are to be finished in Oregon and plaster board, the Oregon to be confined to the lower portion and the plaster to the upper section and the ceiling. This scheme is carried out in the shops and in all the rooms. In order to suit to the varying requirements of tenants the ceiling of the first floor is so set out that partitions can. readily be installed. ,' ■, •To "return once jnore to the street. The George street frontage below tbe window line will be attractively finished in black Swedish granite, which should constitute something different-from the' customary tiles. Altogether, the building will measure 41ft 6in (frontage), by 115fb.