Old Lewis's Building Headrow

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Mon 19 Jan, 2009 9:50 am

The three passenger lifts in Lewiss's days were most beautiful. They had heavy doors decorated with bronze "Grecian" figures over a glass background. Even more fascinating - does anyone remember these ?? - were the tiny little model lifts above the doors to indicate where the real lift was at the time. These little lifts were also lit and travelled up and own their own shaft as the real lift went up and down.

LS12 · Post by **LS12** » Mon 19 Jan, 2009 2:26 pm

I agree its a shame what they have to the inside, the internal fit out of the units is horrible. However the building is not listed and as such there was no protection for the internal features, the Council had no powers to insist they were retained. Conversly the outside does look v good, apart from the rear plant room.

richlam · Post by **richlam** » Mon 19 Jan, 2009 8:17 pm

I agree entirley with all the aboveit just shows that Leeds Civic Trust dont care much!The building has lost all traces of what made it what it was and really just may as well have been pulled down, its just an empty shell after all theres nothinbg left that anyone has any affection to only the exterior!I read somewhere it was a sympathetic restoration of the whole building, what a load of [edited for content]! A much loved building has been lost to developers who just seem intent on ripping the heart out of leeds!The opening o f a chaep and nasty TK maxx and awful Argos really only insult the history of building and those who made it what it was!Its heart wrenching to think that all those beautiful fittings - the marble and brasswork have been lost! I suspect it would have been sold off with the money pocketed by shareholders and directors of the landlords!Could you imagine if they did it to seomwhere like harewood house or Leeds Town Hall

Post by **cnosni** » Mon 19 Jan, 2009 10:51 pm

What can i possibly say.There was positive remarks made on Skyscraper that the staircases had been removed for a bit of tarting up,ready to be put back.Clearly this is not the case,and i think weve all been duped here.What was the position Leeds Civic trust took on all of this?

leeds_girlie · Post by **leeds_girlie** » Tue 20 Jan, 2009 1:01 am

There's a Sainsbury's opening at the other side, the one heading towards the St John centre. As if we need any more mini supermarkets, there's one two minutes away up towards Morrisons and then Morrisons itself! Anyone else know what else is going in there? Or is Argos, TK Maxx and Sainsbury's everything?

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Tue 20 Jan, 2009 10:28 am

leeds_girlie wrote: There's a Sainsbury's opening at the other side, the one heading towards the St John centre. As if we need any more mini supermarkets, there's one two minutes away up towards Morrisons and then Morrisons itself! Anyone else know what else is going in there? Or is Argos, TK Maxx and Sainsbury's everything? According to its website http://www.broadgateleeds.co.uk/index.asp they still have one retail unit available. The remainder of the building is office space.LS12 I am not sure what you mean by rear Plant Room. If you mean the blue steel structure on Mark Lane this is accommodation for the construction team and will be removed shortly to reveal the glass wall depocted on the website.

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Tue 20 Jan, 2009 2:25 pm

Really, is there only to bne 4 units? Whata shame. I thought there was going to be a great glass auditorium inside. Surely 4 shops is a bit meagre?

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Tue 20 Jan, 2009 2:31 pm

Reginal Perrin wrote: Really, is there only to bne 4 units? Whata shame. I thought there was going to be a great glass auditorium inside. Surely 4 shops is a bit meagre? Shoppers are too lazy to go upstairs these days Looks like the Offices will look out on the auditorium and down on the shoppers http://www.broadgateleeds.co.uk/office.asp

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Tue 20 Jan, 2009 3:45 pm

With respect folks I don't think its an auditorium that's in the plans - I seem to think its a glass arboretum with live trees etc. I'm sure that was the rather attractive sounding idea, although I shudder to think of the practical difficulties of maintaining such a thing.Gives a whole new meaning to the familiar retail claim "Branches everywhere."

Post by **tyke bhoy** » Tue 20 Jan, 2009 3:52 pm

They describe it as an atrium http://www.broadgateleeds.co.uk/office_ ... ation.aspa couple of small trees depicted but no indication if they are artificial or alive. I was also wrong in that the floor of the Atrium is above the retail units so the office workers won't be looking down on shoppers.