Mayfair Building, Arthur Square, Belfast, County Antrim, BT1 4FE

A distinctive red brick commercial building in the Art Nouveau style by Blackwood & Jury, c.1906, rising to four storeys with attic, with ashlar sandstone stripes and pilasters, overhanging eaves and octagonal corner turret, located on Arthur Square. Pitched natural slate roofs with sheeted overhanging eaves having ogee gutters. Original timber windows in a variety of styles, detailed with elevations. William St South elevation: Ground floor shop, retaining ventilation strips and long twelve-pane windows under sandstone entablature which appear to be original features. Three bays wide and three storeys high, the first floor windows are triple-light, the outer ones being segmental-headed and the middle one Diocletian. Second floor windows are segmental-headed d/h sashes paired to outer bays with stone stripes, while third floor windows are plain d/h sashes with stone lintels in rounded brick reveals. The central bay is set slightly forward and capped by an Art Nouveau gable in brick with stone trimming, while the outer bays terminate in deep boarded gables. Rainwater goods include ogee gutters on curly iron brackets and square downpipes with ornamental hoppers. Steep hipped slate roof with tall slender chimneys. “Mayfair” lettering in Art Nouveau script on convex string course at base of gable. At the corner to Arthur Square there is an octagonal turret with bulging stone detail and an ogival roof, rising from a scooped stone portico over the corner entrance. Arthur Square elevation: Similar to the William St elevation, but four bays wide at first floor, the central two set forward and terminating in the wider main gable of the building, which has a set-back attic storey and sandstone apex finial; paired windows to outer bays, which are gabled. Entirely modern shops. 'Mayfair' lettering as previous to this elevation also. Arthur Street elevation: Similar to the William St one but omitting the corner entrance and turret, and with an apparent office entrance under the central bay. Setting: Busy pedestrianised city centre location, enclosing the north side of Cornmarket and Arthur Square. Complemented by other listed buildings including the Grand Restaurant and the Masonic Lodge on either side. Schedule of materials: Roof: Slate Walls: Brick with gingery sandstone trims Windows: Timber RWG: square metal with ornamental hoppers