History summarised from wikipedia: Grade II* building erected by the town council (1860 - 1866) to accommodate the growing number of administrative staff. Put up for sale in 2016 as it was deemed "surplus to requirements" and too expensive to run and maintain. Bought by a Singapore-based property developer for 10.2 million who plan to turn it into a 4 star hotel.
Architecture from wikipedia: The building has three storeys and is built of stone with slate and lead roofs. The design of the building was influenced by both Italian and French Renaissance. Around the balcony are sixteen sandstone figures representing the arts, sciences and industries of Liverpool. In the centre of the building is the tower, with its balconies, clocks and five bells. The four quarter bells are hung for English-style Change Ringing. A two-stage pyramidal spire is situated atop the tower. Much more on the architectural features here https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101068281-municipal-buildings-central-ward#.Wl_appOFiQ4.
Visit: Never having been in this building while it was full of 600+ civil servants I wanted to have a look before it gets turned into a hotel. This is a huge place with a stairwell at each corner and innumerable rooms, some knocked through and connected up in different ways. The ground floor rooms are extremely tall, with mezzanine levels in some places and the first floor has a whole series of mezzanine/balcony type extensions, with little staircases here and there. I spent several hours wandering around but certainly didn’t see everything - one section of ground floor rooms was inaccessible for example. Pictures are ordered from the basement up, more or less - these were all taken handheld and in a bit of a hurry, so quality is variable.
Exterior from wikipedia
Nothing much in the basement except plant rooms, storage rooms, and offices, mostly with suspended ceilings.
One of the many storage rooms with metal doors and part of an electrical room showing the original brick vaulting.
What was the main council reception area, originally the Treasurer’s Public Office.
Interesting circular radiators.
One of the lesser entrances and some typical partitioning.
A collection of fireplaces from around the building. There seem to be several standard designs repeated throughout. The little one on the top left was up in one of the attic pavilions, the roundels in the inserts of others show the heads of Queen Victoria and relatives.
Several strongrooms, some with doors decorated to look like the normal wooden variety.
Many long corridors - those on the ground and first floors have faux-parquet dado tiling, as do the stairwells.
The majority of the rooms are in fact just empty offices.
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An original cupboard - there are also quite a few original wooden cubicles scattered around - and a view of some of the statues on the front facade.
Typical examples of modern office spaces.
A couple of the stairwell lanterns with Liver Birds and Queen Vic on the brackets.
Two of the staircases up to the attic pavilions and views of the attics. These have their own lanterns and hatches out onto the roofs.
A couple of shots from a tour round the roofs - these are in very good nick, in fact the whole building has been well maintained (at Liverpool taxpayer’s expense).
Finally heading off to the clocktower, up several little windy staircases to the clock mechanism, past the bells and up to the highest balcony around the spire.
Views down and out with the Anglican on the horizon.
Architecture from wikipedia: The building has three storeys and is built of stone with slate and lead roofs. The design of the building was influenced by both Italian and French Renaissance. Around the balcony are sixteen sandstone figures representing the arts, sciences and industries of Liverpool. In the centre of the building is the tower, with its balconies, clocks and five bells. The four quarter bells are hung for English-style Change Ringing. A two-stage pyramidal spire is situated atop the tower. Much more on the architectural features here https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101068281-municipal-buildings-central-ward#.Wl_appOFiQ4.
Visit: Never having been in this building while it was full of 600+ civil servants I wanted to have a look before it gets turned into a hotel. This is a huge place with a stairwell at each corner and innumerable rooms, some knocked through and connected up in different ways. The ground floor rooms are extremely tall, with mezzanine levels in some places and the first floor has a whole series of mezzanine/balcony type extensions, with little staircases here and there. I spent several hours wandering around but certainly didn’t see everything - one section of ground floor rooms was inaccessible for example. Pictures are ordered from the basement up, more or less - these were all taken handheld and in a bit of a hurry, so quality is variable.
Exterior from wikipedia
Nothing much in the basement except plant rooms, storage rooms, and offices, mostly with suspended ceilings.
One of the many storage rooms with metal doors and part of an electrical room showing the original brick vaulting.
What was the main council reception area, originally the Treasurer’s Public Office.
Interesting circular radiators.
One of the lesser entrances and some typical partitioning.
A collection of fireplaces from around the building. There seem to be several standard designs repeated throughout. The little one on the top left was up in one of the attic pavilions, the roundels in the inserts of others show the heads of Queen Victoria and relatives.
Several strongrooms, some with doors decorated to look like the normal wooden variety.
Many long corridors - those on the ground and first floors have faux-parquet dado tiling, as do the stairwells.
The majority of the rooms are in fact just empty offices.
[
An original cupboard - there are also quite a few original wooden cubicles scattered around - and a view of some of the statues on the front facade.
Typical examples of modern office spaces.
A couple of the stairwell lanterns with Liver Birds and Queen Vic on the brackets.
Two of the staircases up to the attic pavilions and views of the attics. These have their own lanterns and hatches out onto the roofs.
A couple of shots from a tour round the roofs - these are in very good nick, in fact the whole building has been well maintained (at Liverpool taxpayer’s expense).
Finally heading off to the clocktower, up several little windy staircases to the clock mechanism, past the bells and up to the highest balcony around the spire.
Views down and out with the Anglican on the horizon.
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