55 University Road, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT7 1NF

55 University Road is a substantial three-storey terrace house built between 1840 and 1843 in late Georgian style. It forms part of a larger terrace originally named 'Botanic View', situated on the west side of University Road between Camden Street to the north and Fitzwilliam Street to the south. The terrace comprises this property, three identical neighbours, three similar but lower houses of around 1840-41, and a short two-storey brick grouping of 1852 at the south end. All have been converted to flats. Number 55 stands close to the north end of the terrace.

The front eastern façade is asymmetrical and finished with stucco render. At ground floor level, the left side features the original entrance doorway, now non-functional. The doorway consists of a traditional panelled and glazed door serving as a window, with panelled pilaster jambs topped by a plain rectangular fanlight. The ensemble is enclosed by plain pilasters with decorative console brackets supporting a cornice hood with a tympanum-like blocking course. To the right of the doorway are two flat arch windows with Georgian-paned sash frames (6/6 panes). Matching window pairs appear at first and second floor levels, though the second floor windows are shorter. The ground floor level is finished in square channelled rusticated render and painted in a darker shade than the upper floors, which are rendered in plain finish with simple moulded surrounds. It is probable that the first and second floor levels were originally in brick.

The rear western elevation has been significantly altered. A large full-height stairwell return, erected around 1984 and shared with number 53, now dominates the left-hand side. This replaces individual returns that were demolished during conversion. The stairwell return features sash windows (Georgian-paned) at the first and second half-landing levels on its west face. On the north face at ground floor is a doorway with a recent security door providing access to the stairwell and ground floor flats. To the immediate right is a single-storey flat-roofed brick projection housing dustbins for the three flats of number 53. The south face of the return mirrors the north face but with small sash windows (4/2 panes) at first and second floor levels. The rear façade of the main building body, to the right of the return, has two windows per floor, with the right window of each pair being larger. Second floor windows are shorter than those below. Ground floor windows are now covered with security grills; upper floor windows retain Georgian-paned sash frames (first floor: 4/2 and 6/6 panes; second floor: 4/2 and 6/3 panes). The entire rear elevation is rendered and painted to match the upper floors of the front façade.

The main roof is slated, with a mono-pitched slated roof covering the return. A tall rendered chimneystack to the north features a string course and decorative matching pots. Both front and rear elevations have bracketed verge courses, with the rear version being plainer. Recent moulded guttering and modern square downspouts are present throughout.

The building was extensively renovated around 1984 and divided into flats, with stairwell returns added to the rear as part of this conversion process. The front garden has low rendered walls filled with shrubbery. The pathway that formerly led to the front entrance has been removed.