Port of Liverpool Building
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Port of Liverpool Building, in Liverpool, United Kingdom, was designed by Arnold Thornley and built in 1907. Outside, a dome caps the Portland stone building. Inside an octagonal hall rises to the dome, with galleries running around it. It is a Grade II* Listed Building.
[edit] History
Known as The Dock Office until it was renamed in 1972, the Port of Liverpool Building was constructed to be the head office of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. Constructed out of Portland Stone, the building was designed in the style of Edwardian Baroque and has strong echoes of London’s St Paul’s Cathedral.
In 1941, during the Blitz, a heavy bomb exploded in the basement, causing extensive damage to the eastern wing of the building. It was restored shortly after the war with the cost of reconstruction far exceeding the original construction costs.
In 1993 the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company relocated from the building, its home for 87 years, to new headquarters at Royal Seaforth Dock. They remained owners until 2001 when it was acquired by Liverpool-based property group Downing. The building is currently home to some of the most prestigious companies in Merseyside, including Rathbones.
In October 2005 Liverpool City Council approved Downing’s plans to refurbish the landmark building. The scheme includes major internal and external works to restore the Grade 2* listed building to its original glory. The plans include opening the building to the public by creating a new viewing floor inside the dome, a publicly accessible sunken piazza on the riverside frontage -providing a small parade of restaurants, cafes and shops - and a series of luxury apartments on the rooftop.
