96, Duke Street

96 Duke Street is a former townhouse that has been converted into offices and a shop. It dates from the late 18th century, with alterations and an extension added in the mid-19th century. The building is constructed of brick with a render coat on the front elevation, featuring gable chimneys and a tiled roof.

The plan is L-shaped, situated on a narrow, elongated plot between Duke Street and Henry Street. The Duke Street side has three storeys and three bays, with a flat-roofed mid-19th century shop extension at the ground floor. This extension includes four full-height semi-circular arched openings at the front, which cover the original front wall at ground level. The upper floors have three windows each, although the later render coat obscures the wedge lintels above the openings. There is a shallow moulded eaves cornice above. The rear elevation is made of red brick, featuring painted lintels over the window openings. There is a two-storey curved bay window on the right side and a rear wing on the left that extends along the plot boundary, enclosing a narrow rear yard.

The interior has not been inspected. Historically, the late 18th-century house is depicted on Horwood's 1803 map of Liverpool, and its plot is shown as developed on a 1769 map of the area around Steer's Dock. At that time, it was near the eastern edge of Liverpool's development. The building is listed for its group value with Nos. 92-94 Duke Street and No. 98 Duke Street, as it contributes to the context and setting of these listed buildings, sharing the same period of development, architectural style, and detailing.