16-28 John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock

This is a three-storey and attic commercial building with tenement accommodation, constructed in 1880 to a design by Robert S. Ingram. It occupies a prominent position on John Finnie Street in Kilmarnock. The building is built of polished red Ballochmyle sandstone ashlar, with rusticated piers to the wider outer bays. Carved pilasters are present to the central bays, and there are shallow, advanced end pavilions. A deep, bracketed main cornice runs along the top of the building.

The west-facing principal elevation has modern shop fronts to the first and eighth bays, with doors providing access to the upper floors in the second and seventh bays. There are two asymmetric shop units in bays 3-6 and most of the second bay. A continuous cornice sits above the shop fronts, forming the base for giant decorative pilasters. The first floor features tripartite windows in bays 1 and 8, single windows in bays 2 and 7, and four regular bays within the giant decorative pilasters. The second floor replicates the first-floor plan, with mask keystones over the central windows and floreate spandrels, and apron panels to all windows. The attic has a central mansard roof with four segmental dormers; segmental dormers are also present on the flanks and the outer bays feature a high pavilion roof with segmental dormers.

The north elevation is a blind gable adjoining the remaining interior wall of 6-14 John Finnie Street, which was formerly the Operetta House and is listed separately. The east-facing rear elevation is largely concealed behind a former stable building on Strand Street. The first and second floors display two symmetrical five-bay blocks, with large rectangular windows in the outer bays, narrower windows in the second and fourth bays, and an elongated stair window in the central bay. The roofline is punctuated by differing pairs of attic dormers.

The south elevation adjoins 30-38 John Finnie Street. The principal elevation is characterised by 2 and 4-pane timber sash and case windows, with some 12-pane sash and case windows to the rear. The windows on the second floor are arched. The roof is primarily covered in grey slate, with a mansard roof over the central portion of the principal elevation and four segmental-headed dormers. The outer flanks have grey slate pavilion roofs with segmental-headed dormers. The rear roof has piended grey slate, with canted attic dormers in the second and fourth bays featuring piended roofs and felted cheeks, while plainer squared dormers are present elsewhere in the attic. Painted cast-iron rainwater goods are in place, with concealed gutters to the front elevation and downpipes held by cornices above the shop fascia. A stack on the north gable is now missing due to the demolition of an adjacent building. A tall yellow brick stack is located centrally on the roofline, featuring multiple yellow cans, and a red brick stack is present on the south gable, though its cans are now missing.

The interior of the building has been affected by fire, with the retail units on the right and the upper floors now derelict. The original floor plan for the first and second floors remains, as do the stairs with their larger windows to the rear.