Head Post Office, 80-92 Cathcart Street, Greenock

The Head Post Office, located at 80-92 Cathcart Street in Greenock, was designed by W W Robertson for the Office of Works and built between 1898 and 1899. This monumental corner building features rich ornamentation and a mix of Renaissance architectural details. The symmetrical front has three storeys with an attic, highlighted by paired Ionic square-columned porticos, although one entrance is now blocked. The ground floor has large round-arched windows, while the facade above is decorated with single and two-light windows, with round arches on the second floor, most of which retain their original glazing. The building is constructed from light-coloured ashlar that has been cleaned, and it features large pavilion roofs that are slated, platformed, and topped with iron-cresting. The parapet is adorned with urns. The west flank facing Cross Shore Street has a single bay, but the structure extends to the rear (north) with an additional seven bays designed in a much plainer style.