108 North Street & 1 Gresham Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-storey Mannerist-style, former Gas Showrooms, likely built to the designs of James Gamble, c.1908. Located on the corner of North Street and Gresham Street, previously one of a terrace, now the only block remaining. Rectangular on plan, one-bay wide along North Street with chamfered corner bay and four bays wide along Gresham Street.

Three partially hipped slate roofs over each linear bay, with black roll-moulded ridge-tiles extending east to west; roof of southern-most bay has been levelled and a square-plan, timber frame and glazed addition added. Roof of main elevations concealed behind a solid parapet, over heavily moulded and projecting eaves course. Rainwater goods also concealed behind parapet with square cast-iron downpipes. Walling is generally painted stucco, over projecting plinth; storeys defined by heavy cornices; bays defined by piers at second floor; walls adorned with applied embellishments. Windows are generally segmental-headed with replacement timber or metal frames; generally having moulded and lugged architraves and cills with projecting keystone over, intersecting string course (unless otherwise stated). North-east proportion of ground floor is characterized by five openings, including canted entrance bay, which each have octagonal polished granite columns on either side, carrying the heavily corbelled cornice above. Large recessed openings are timber-framed and glazed over mosaic tile plinth; with modern curved plastic-coated awnings over.

Principal elevation faces north, one window wide with chamfered corner to far left-side, also having single openings to each floor. Venetian window to first floor of main north elevation.
Shop window to ground floor and modern glazed entrance door to chamfered corner.

East elevation has four regularly arranged windows across upper floors, except for single oculus to far left of first floor. Ground floor is asymmetrical with three shop windows to right-side; left-side contains a replacement six-panelled timber door with plain glass transom and hood mould over, having a round headed window to right and Venetian window to left; semicircular window to far left-side.

South elevation is one bay wide with a single window to first floor.

West elevation is largely roughcast brick with some smooth render and paint to upper right-side. Elevation is completely blank as it was previously abutted by adjoining building.

Setting

Located on a prominent corner site, the long axis addresses Gresham Street while the short axis lines North Street. Situated near to the principal crossroads between Royal Avenue and North Street, the building is clearly visible from this junction and there are a number of important structures nearby including, the Bank of Ireland (HB26/50/187), Sinclair’s Store (HB26/50/186) and No.104 Royal Avenue (HB26/50/184).

Roof : Slate
RWG : Cast-iron and replacement metal
Walling: Stucco
Windows: Timber / metal casements

Historical information

The present building was constructed c1908 to designs by the City Surveyor’s Office as the Corporation Gas Showrooms and is first shown on the sixth edition OS map of 1931. Larmour attributes the design to James G Gamble who was principal city architect at the time and acted as clerk of works during the construction of the City Hall (Larmour; www.dia.ie).

The building enters valuation records in 1909 as a showroom, offices and stores valued at £150 and owned by the Corporation of Belfast in fee. The cost of construction was £1900. The building remained the Corporation Gas Appliance showroom until the 1980s when it was taken over by Andrew Crowe as a butcher’s shop (Street Directories).

On the most recent survey visit in March 2016, HED records that the ground floor is still a butcher's shop, under new ownership.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/1/61/4 – Fourth Edition OS Map 1901-2
2. PRONI OS/6/1/61/6 – Sixth Edition OS Map 1931
3. PRONI VAL/12/B/43/C/18 Annual Revisions 1909
4. PRONI VAL/12/A/7/L/47 Valuer’s Notes 1909
5. Street Directories (1908-95)

Secondary Sources

1. Larmour, P “Belfast, An Illustrated Architectural Guide” Belfast: Friar’s Bush Press, 1987
2. Patton, M “Central Belfast: An Historical Gazetteer” Belfast: Ulster Architectural Heritage Society, 1993
3. www.dia.ie – Dictionary of Irish Architects online

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

Three-storey stucco corner block built as the Gas Showrooms, c.1908, reputedly designed by James Gable. Embellished by the application of heavy mouldings and decorative motifs, the building represents the aspirations of the Gas Company in the new century. Also of interest as a new building type - showrooms - reflecting the continued expansion and progress of the commercial centre of the city. The building has lost its setting, but forms a corner of the junction where North Street, Gresham Street and Royal Avenue meet - each having a lsited building situated on the corner (HB 26/50/187, HB 26/50/068 and HB 26/50/186 and HB 26/50/184.)