Co-Op Building, Durie Street, Leven

This is a probably early 20th-century building, originally a Co-operative store and now converted in 1997 to 32 flats by Davidson Design of Kirkcaldy. It has a wedge-shaped plan and 16 bays, arranged in groups of 1, 4, 1, 3, 3, 1, and 3 bays. The building is constructed in yellow ashlar on the first floor, above darker ashlar and modern harl to the ground level, with a similar contrasting modern harl on the rear. A deep granite frieze and cornice runs above the ground floor, complemented by an eaves cornice, a deep band course, and a balustraded parapet on the south side.

The architectural style is Edwardian Baroque. Pilaster strips with Art Deco-style capitals are a distinctive feature. Segmental-headed doorcases are keystoned, with pilaster strips continuing to the first floor. These are topped by broken segmental pediments above keystoned, pedimented windows featuring carved floreate swags on the tympanum, all surmounted by a three-stage stepped blocking course. Windows are architraved and some are segmentally headed, with voussoirs.

The principal south-east elevation features a doorcase in the bay to the left of centre, with a two-leaf door and a semicircular fanlight. There are four windows to the left, a pilaster strip, and a further window to the extreme left. The centre bays have three windows, another pilaster strip, and three windows to the right. A second doorcase is present, followed by three further windows with a pilaster strip to the outer right. The first floor has regular fenestration and a clock on a metalwork bracket with a ‘beehive’ design, displaying the dates 1885 and 1935, located on the bay to the left of centre. A balustraded parapet with carved swags flanks a moulded panel above the outer left bay.

The south-west elevation, at first floor, presents a 10-bay arrangement with bipartite windows in three wider bays to the outer left at ground level. There are three windows to the centre and two widely spaced windows to the right, with another window to the extreme right. The first floor has three segmental-headed windows to the left of centre, three windows to the centre bays, and three further windows to the right, below a shouldered wallhead stack. A single window sits to the outer right, below a balustraded parapet featuring carved details.

A corner elevation has a single bay with windows flanked by pilasters to each floor, topped with a balustraded parapet. The building features modern windows throughout, grey slates, coped ashlar stacks, and ashlar-coped skews.