the produce exchange - a unique piece of history

8 Victoria Street

The Produce Exchange, LiverpoolA unique piece of history

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A Unique Piece of History

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Hong Kong Sotheby’s International Realty is privileged to be involved in the marketing and sales of a unique residential development in one of Liverpool’s most treasured historic buildings. Our research helped us to discover the important role that The Produce Exchange played in Liverpool’s mercantile history and appreciate the building’s rich architectural detail and exquisite craftsmanship.

We are therefore delighted to be offering our buyers something more than an excellent residential investment opportunity, but a unique piece of Liverpool history.

We would also wish to thank Liverpool Council for granting the permission to convert and restore The Produce Exchange and preserve its heritage for future generations.

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09 The Birth of The City

19 The Commercial District

27 The Building’s History

35 The Building’s Architecture

43 Interior Details

57 The Renovation

Contents

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1. The birth of the city

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At the start of the 19th Century, Liverpool was beginning to grow from an orderly and compact town into one of the nation’s great trading centres.

As a thriving port, Liverpool was a magnet for new migrants and its population expanded rapidly throughout the century. Its economy, too, flourished and diversified as the port became a vibrant hub for shipping, manufacturing and a burgeoning insurance and banking sector.

Liverpool was renowned globally as the Second City of Empire and one of the richest cities in the world, dominating the trades in cotton, tobacco, sugar and many other commodities. By the 1870s, there were more millionaires per capita in Liverpool than in almost any other city in the world.

Built on the industrial might of England

Pictured: Lord Street, Liverpool in 1880.

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Proclaiming itself to be the ‘Florence of the North’ Liverpool was home to a new kind of merchant prince. The city experienced a building boom on an unprecedented scale, with some of the finest public and private buildings forming the core of its UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site.

The magnificent St George’s Hall is regarded as one of finest examples of Neo-Classical architecture. Queen Victoria described it as “worthy of Ancient Athens”.

Liverpool’s expansion was built on the industrial and manufacturing might of northern England – then regarded as the workshop of the world. It was also the gateway to the New World – a point of embarkation for millions seeking a new life and opportunities in the Americas. In 1840, Samuel Cunard started the first trans-Atlantic passenger service from Liverpool to New York. Today, 175 years later, Liverpool has once again become a major port of call for ocean liners.

Pictured: St George’s Hall c1895 – one of the finest Neo-Classical buildings in Europe.

Pictured: Left, waving off a liner in the 1920s and, right, the Cunard Building was completed in 1916 as the headquarters and passenger terminal for the Cunard Line.

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Liverpool’s wealth and prestige was based on the trade of key global commodities. Henry Tate became the leading sugar magnate, whilst Liverpool Cotton Exchange controlled the world’s trade in that commodity.

Banks and insurance companies flourished and had built imposing headquarters in the city’s burgeoning business quarter.

Mimicking the philanthropy of their Florentine forebears, Liverpool’s great merchant families bequeathed outstanding public buildings and cultural pioneering institutions.

Newsrooms, libraries, botanical gardens and theatres were all seen as an outward expression of a confident and enlightened mercantile class.The Walker Art Gallery was paid for by wealthy brewer Andrew Barclay Walker and boasts one of the finest art collections in Britain.

As the 19th Century progressed, fine churches, parks, museums and a university became part of the fabric of a thriving cosmopolitan city.

The city pioneered great infrastructure and communication initiatives, including in 1830 the world’s first passenger railway between Manchester and Liverpool – an event that many now recognise as the dawn of the modern age.

Pictured: The Cotton Exchange 1907.

Pictured: Lime Street Station - the oldest mainline railway station in the world.

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In the early 20th Century Liverpool continued to express its bold and self-confident spirit with the creation of its great waterfront commercial buildings – the magnificent Three Graces. The internationally recognised landmarks not only embody stunning architectural quality, but trailblazing engineering innovation.

The emblematic Liver Building was the largest steel-frame building of its day, and pioneered the technology that made the skyscrapers of North America possible.

Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral -second only in size to St Peter’s in Rome - was started on the sandstone ridge above the city centre. The majestic edifice designed by Giles Gilbert Scott was to be hewn from the same local sandstone as a new generation of great commercial buildings including the Cotton Exchange and The Produce Exchange. In matters spiritual and temporal Liverpool’s prowess was expressed through its striking and majestic architecture.

Pictured: Liverpool Pier Head and Three Graces in 1935. Pictured: Liverpool’s Anglican Catherdral.

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2. The Commercial District

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Liverpool’s commercial core was a multitude of tightly compacted streets containing thousands of warehouses where imported goods were stored and traded. Servicing and supporting the city’s maritime trade were a myriad of banks, freight forwarders, insurance companies and wholesalers. The impressive buildings in the commercial centre were manifestations of the confidence and wealth of the merchants who had thrived in a city where the wealth of every nation was traded.

An expression of confidence and wealth

Pictured: Map of Liverpool’s commercial district in 1850.

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Liverpool’s rapid development had created an overcrowded and congested city requiring better infrastructure and the application of modern city planning. Victoria Street was laid out in the mid-1860s to facilitate faster transport through the town.

A crowded area of slum houses and heavy industry was cleared and a handsome new street emerged, lined with fine buildings.

The area around Victoria Street specialised in the trade and exchange of food. An 1879 directory lists merchants for tea and coffee, rice, fruit, wine and spirits and general provisions along with sugar refiners, biscuit manufacturers and brewers. As global trade expanded, so too did the importance of these vital commodity traders. Today, Victoria Street remains one of Liverpool’s most striking thoroughfares, with reminders of its rich trading heritage all around.

As a strategic port and gateway Liverpool city centre was badly damaged by bombing during World War II. Fortunately, Victoria Street was less affected than nearby Lord Street and South John Street. One loss was to the Central Post Office, which suffered fire-bomb damage. The fine French chateau-inspired upper storeys were removed and, today, the surviving lower storeys house a thriving designer mall.

Pictured: The Cotton Exchange 1907. Pictured: Liverpool’s Central Post Office which was badly damaged by bombings.

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Today, Victoria Street retains its 19th Century character. Mathew Street, located at the rear of Victoria Street, retained many of its original historic warehouses. Fireproof construction was common in this type of building.

At number 10 Mathew Street was the legendary Cavern Club, the birthplace of a musical revolution that rocked the world and the venue that launched The Beatles to international success. The group first played here on February 9th 1961 and performed a further 292 times before setting out to change the face of 20th Century culture.

Pictured: The Cavern Club.

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3. The Building’s History

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One of the city’s finest commercial buildings, The Produce Exchange was opened in 1902 and was designed by Henry Shelmerdine, the architect to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, and was built as an intended goods warehouse for the railway company. The Liverpool Provision Trade Association later purchased the whole building as trade became more complex and interdependent.

The Produce Exchange was created as a centralised meeting place where commodity merchants could meet and do business. The Produce Exchange arose out of this need for better organisation and communication and became a key hub within the city’s bustling commercial core.

A key hub in a bustling commercial centre

Pictured: Produce Exchange

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The Provision Trade Association merged with the Liverpool Produce Exchange in 1889, and after that it became the centre for all imported pig and dairy produce, eggs and canned goods. The Exchange provided a “trading floor” for these commodities and in 1912 it added a lard futures market with a direct cable link to Chicago Board of Trade.

It aimed to foster overseas trading, to publish information on markets, to arbitrate disputes and to represent the trade in negotiations with other organisations. Its trading rules became standard across the globe.

There was an immense volume of trade of bacon, hams, butter, lard and cheese from Canada. Almost all of the Canadian dairy and farm produce arriving in the port of Liverpool was conducted by members of the Association.

The importance of The Produce Exchange was underlined when, in 1902, the Right Honorable Sir Wilfred Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, officiated at the opening ceremony, and was presented with a golden key.

Pictured: The Provision Trade Association (In the Produce Exchange Building from 1904 to 1922). Pictured: Portrait of Prime Minister of Canada and The Golden Key.

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For the next 86 years, the lower levels acquired a new commercial use. The Victoria Street Liverpool branch of The National Provincial & Union Bank of England was opened on 1 May 1922 in Produce Exchange Buildings. In 1968 Westminster Bank and National Provincial Bank, along with National Provincial’s subsidiary District Bank, announced their intention to merge.

The operations of all three banks were combined and they began to trade as National Westminster Bank from 1970 to 2008. The lower levels were only used by the Provision Trade Association and later for NatWest Bank. The upper levels provided a home to a multiplicity of businesses.

By the 1970s, the produce trade had moved away from both Victoria Street and Liverpool. The street had lost its historic purpose and was searching for a new identity.

Victoria Street continued to be a vital part of the city’s life. Nearby Mathew Street continued to be at the centre of Liverpool’s vibrant music scene and the sporting successes of the city’s two football teams was celebrated throughout the city centre.

Pictured: Jubilant supporters of Liverpool FC enjoy the club’s victory in the 1974 FA Cup Final.Pictured: The National Westminster Bank in the Produce Exchange building in 1987. (RBS Archive)

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4. The Building’s Architecture

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The Produce Exchange building is Grade II Listed for its national importance on account of its architectural quality and significance. The Produce Exchange is vital to the character of both the Castle Street Conservation Area and enormously important UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sitting in a visually prominent site, the building provides a sense of theatre to Victoria Street, arguably the most complete and distinctive Victorian thoroughfare in Liverpool’s commercial district.

The building presents an imaginative Baroque frontage to Victoria Street of five distinctive and individual storeys (including a mansard) in dressed sandstone copiously enriched with Gibbsian rustication, engaged columns and other classical motifs. The double height ground floor is faced in a smooth textured Kemney granite from Aberdeenshire. The building’s skyline is enlivened by shaped gables, pedimented dormers and a corner turret in the form of a tempietto.

A building of character and theatre

Pictured: Artistic cast iron columns adorn each floor, featuring beautiful classical designs that belie that their practicality meanwhile the Edwardian antique glass sphere lights illuminate the designs.

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Pictured: Left, the first bay entrance features an oeil-de-boeuf, a small oval window above the door which not only gives light but adds to the decorative nature of the façade. Popular in Baroque architecture, it features a pediment triangular design, often used in classical design. Right, The building features a Mansard roof with 1:3:1-light pedimented dormers between round turret with colonnade and cupola to left, and gable with round-headed window, surmounted by aedicule with niches, rusticated pilasters and segmental open pediment to right.

Pictured: Left, The ground floor detail includes raised bands, segmental-head openings with triple keystones. Right, 1st floor 1:3:3:3:1:2:1 lights to windows with mullions and transoms, string over. 2nd floor has 3 tripartite bowed windows. Also 2nd and 3rd floors have an attached Ionic colonnade with entablature adding more details to the façade and making it a building with distinctive style and architectural personality.

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Pictured: Left, The Ionic columns, typical in Renaissance architecture for imposing and significant buildings such as Courts of Justice, and the sea shell encrusted upper level of the building only add to its grandeur. Right, The Mansard roof with its tempietto style turret, presents another exquisite detail and an extension of Roman style.

Pictured: Left, The entablature, composed of architrave, post and lintel, frieze and cornice is characteristic of the decorative commercial architecture of the day. Right, The sea shell encrusted detailing within the bay pediment celebrates the maritime source of the city’s mercantile wealth.

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5. Interior Details

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Unlike many other buildings of historical significance The Produce Exchange has managed to retain many of its original features and details. Our guiding principle has been to carefully restore each and every element, preserving the unique beauty of one of Liverpool’s most perfect architectural gems.

Restored and Preserved

Pictured: The beautiful atrium, from which residents of The Produce Exchange will access their apartments, continues the lavish theme of the building, with stunning transparent ceilings, allowing natural light to flood in.

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Pictured: Carter Preston’s stunning memorial plaque was created at a time when leading artists and craftsmen were commissioned to create impressive monuments to honour the fallen in the First World War. The artist was chosen from 800 applicants for his Next of Kin design of the plaque in 1918, recognising those who had lost relatives in the Great War. Carter Preston was also responsible for many of the fine sculptures that can be seen throughout Liverpool Cathedral.

Pictured: The building has an impressive entrance lobby and main staircase. The staircase is cantilevered and features a decorative metal balustrade with swept and moulded hardwood handrail and moulded timber newel posts.

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Pictured: Left, The same original mosaic tile covers the floors of the entrance lobby, main staircase landings and corridors. Right, Intricate mosaic tiles decorate the atrium’s curved balconies, a testament to the craftsmanship of the period and the conscious borrowing of classical and Renaissance motifs, while huge windows inside the apartments ensure the stunning features are bathed in light.

Pictured: On each balcony there is a stunning stained glass window, celebrating The Produce Exchange’s history and function within Liverpool’s commercial life, featuring seafaring images and depictions of fruit and produce from around the world.

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Pictured: The decorative stained glass to the main staircase windows and curved atrium wall to first floor offices also references the diverse produce and commodities traded in Liverpool.

Pictured: Left, The English counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire have a long, historic rivalry. When the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company originally developed the building, they intertwined the red rose of Lancashire and white rose of Yorkshire as a symbolic gesture of the company’s interests in both counties’ railways. Right, George Wragge was a notable artist of that era. He was also responsible for the striking stained glass windows in the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board Building at the Pier Head – one of the famed Three Graces.

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Pictured: Left, The decorative stained glass to the main staircase windows and curved atrium wall to first floor offices also references the diverse produce and commodities traded in Liverpool. Right, First impressions of The Produce Exchange are forged by its beautifully carved entrance and the imposing dual-height archway that adorns the entrance hall containing the bronze First World War Memorial by Edward Carter Preston. Further exquisite detailing include the intricate coving of the banisters and the ornate cast iron railings underscoring the grandeur and prowess of this once great trading centre.

Pictured: Left and Centre, The beautiful atrium, from which residents of The Produce Exchange will access their apartments, continues the lavish theme of the building, with stunning transparent ceilings, allowing natural light to flood in. Right, Artistic cast iron columns adorn each floor featuring elegant classical designs that belie their practical purpose. Meanwhile the Edwardian antique glass sphere lights illuminate the designs.

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Pictured: Featuring a traditional glass block design, particularly innovative for the era, the transparent flooring of the atrium is as striking as it is light, while the Art Nouveau patterns add a decorative flair.

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6. The Renovation

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Statement from the Current Developer

Foster Marlon Ltd finances, develops and manages real estate assets across the North West region of the UK. We offer highly diversified and bespoke property investments with developments of exceptional quality and originality.

The Produce Exchange Building is one of the UK’s most original buildings with a rich history and distinctive architectural personality.

Originally developed by Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, Foster Marlon is fortunate to have the opportunity to create 54 modern, stylish apartments across the upper storeys of the office building. It is our vision to carefully restore the building to bring it back to its former glory.

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Statement from the Current Architect

NS Architects Ltd forms part of a consultant team appointed by the client, Foster Marlon Ltd, to assess, design and carry out a comprehensive restoration and change of use to The Produce Exchange. We are Design and Manage architects based in the North West of England.

From project inception, it was our architectural ambition to work around the inherent, exemplary listed building

features found only in Liverpool’s Produce Exchange Building. The Grade II Listed features, bearing the ingenuity of the original architect Henry Shelmerdine, are to be further complemented by our contemporary design intervention creating intelligent solutions to the building’s change of use from a former bank building into a quality place to live.


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Our strong design ethos is not just experienced internally, however, and is continued to the rear exterior of the listed building. Facing onto the world famous Mathew Street elevation you will find the creation of a new contemporary zinc-clad intervention within the existing roof space. This new addition to Liverpool’s skyline will create a series of stunning apartments, each benefiting from floor to ceiling glazing looking onto the vibrancy of the Beatles-inspired Cavern quarter.

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Existing Level 1

The proposal is for conversion of the upper floors of the building to 54 apartments. The major redevelopment of the building starts from Level One. Most of the existing internal walls are to remain in place, while the subdivision of most of the apartments will be constructed with stud walls.

Proposed Level 1


Note: The developer reserves the right to change the layout within the Development and the right to make modifications and changes to the building designs, specifications, features and floor plans without prior notice. Any changes to the plans shall be subject to final approval and amendment(s) by the relevant Government Authorities.

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Level 1

Unit 233m²

Unit 327m²

Unit 453m²

Unit 525m²

Unit 625m²

Unit 742m²

Unit 1038m²Unit 11

39m²

Apartment types

Premium Studio / Pseudo 1 bedroom

Studio

2 bedroom

Circulation

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Unit 938m²

Unit 838m²

UP

Proposed Level 1

ROOM SCHEDULE

Level Unit No. Apartment Type Bathroom(s)

M/F Unit 1 Studio 1

Level 1

Unit 2 Studio 1

Unit 3 Studio 1

Unit 4 2-Bedroom Apartment 1

Unit 5 Studio 1

Unit 6 Studio 1


Unit 8 Premium Studio/Pseudo 1 Bedroom 1 (bathtub)




Level 2

Unit 12 Studio 1

Unit 13 Studio 1



Unit 16 Studio 1

Unit 17 Studio 1

Unit 18 Studio 1




Level 3

Unit 22 Studio 1

Unit 23 Studio 1



Unit 26 Studio 1

Unit 27 Studio 1




Level 4

Unit 31 Studio 1

Unit 32 Studio 1

Unit 33 Studio 1

Unit 34 Premium Studio/Pseudo 1 Bedroom 1

Unit 35 Studio 1

Unit 36 Studio 1

Unit 37 Studio 1

Unit 38 Studio 1

Unit 39 Studio 1

Unit 40 Studio 1

Unit 41 Studio 1

Unit 42 Studio 1

Level 5

Unit 43 Studio 1

Unit 44 Duplex with two street view 1

Unit 45 Duplex with Skylight 1


Unit 47 Duplex 1

Unit 48 Studio 1


Unit 50 Studio 1

Unit 51 Studio 1

Unit 52 Studio 1

Unit 53 Studio 1

Unit 54 Studio 1

Level 5B

Unit 44 Upper level of duplex -





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Existing Level 2 & 3 Proposed Level 2 & 3

Levels 2 and 3 have a fairly consistent layout pattern. Both floors have the internal courtyard, as well as the entire back elevation span up to level 4 only. A glass roof is placed above the courtyard to allow daylight into the building.



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Level 2

Apartment types


Studio

2 bedroom

3 bedroom

Circulation

Unit 1233m²

Unit 1328m²

Unit 1454m²

Unit 1577m² Unit 16

25m²

Unit 1727m²

Unit 1825m²


Unit 2140m²

Unit 2038m²

Unit 1937m²

UP

Proposed Level 2

ROOM SCHEDULE


M/F Unit 1 Studio 1

Level 1

Unit 2 Studio 1

Unit 3 Studio 1


Unit 5 Studio 1

Unit 6 Studio 1






Level 2

Unit 12 Studio 1

Unit 13 Studio 1



Unit 16 Studio 1

Unit 17 Studio 1

Unit 18 Studio 1




Level 3

Unit 22 Studio 1

Unit 23 Studio 1



Unit 26 Studio 1

Unit 27 Studio 1




Level 4

Unit 31 Studio 1

Unit 32 Studio 1

Unit 33 Studio 1


Unit 35 Studio 1

Unit 36 Studio 1

Unit 37 Studio 1

Unit 38 Studio 1

Unit 39 Studio 1

Unit 40 Studio 1

Unit 41 Studio 1

Unit 42 Studio 1

Level 5

Unit 43 Studio 1




Unit 47 Duplex 1

Unit 48 Studio 1


Unit 50 Studio 1

Unit 51 Studio 1

Unit 52 Studio 1

Unit 53 Studio 1

Unit 54 Studio 1

Level 5B






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Existing Level 4 Proposed Level 4



Unit 3440m²

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Level 4

Unit 3133m²

Unit 3228m²

Unit 3325m²

Unit 3440m²

Unit 3525m²

Unit 3625m²

Unit 3725m²

Unit 3827m²

Unit 3925m²

Unit 4025m²

Unit 4125m²

Unit 4225m²

Apartment types


Studio

Circulation


UP

Proposed Level 4

ROOM SCHEDULE


M/F Unit 1 Studio 1

Level 1

Unit 2 Studio 1

Unit 3 Studio 1


Unit 5 Studio 1

Unit 6 Studio 1






Level 2

Unit 12 Studio 1

Unit 13 Studio 1



Unit 16 Studio 1

Unit 17 Studio 1

Unit 18 Studio 1




Level 3

Unit 22 Studio 1

Unit 23 Studio 1



Unit 26 Studio 1

Unit 27 Studio 1




Level 4

Unit 31 Studio 1

Unit 32 Studio 1

Unit 33 Studio 1


Unit 35 Studio 1

Unit 36 Studio 1

Unit 37 Studio 1

Unit 38 Studio 1

Unit 39 Studio 1

Unit 40 Studio 1

Unit 41 Studio 1

Unit 42 Studio 1

Level 5

Unit 43 Studio 1




Unit 47 Duplex 1

Unit 48 Studio 1


Unit 50 Studio 1

Unit 51 Studio 1

Unit 52 Studio 1

Unit 53 Studio 1

Unit 54 Studio 1

Level 5B






Level 4 is primarily located at the front of the building with a proposed new build section facing the rear. This gives the building panoramic views of the city ranging from the historic sector of Victoria Street all the way to the breathtaking venue of St George's Hall.

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Existing Level 5

Level 5 is located at the front part of the building only. The proposal includes adding two additional floors in the side that faces Mathew Street. The marriage of contemporary living standards within a building with such historical fabric has created a new benchmark for urban apartments.

Proposed Level 5



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Level 5

Apartment types

Studio

Duplex

Circulation

Unit 4333m²

Unit 4449m²

Unit 4550m²

Unit 4637m²

Unit 4744m²

Unit 4825m²

Unit 4949m²

Unit 5032m²

Unit 5125m²

Unit 5225m²

Unit 5325m²

Unit 5425m²


UP

UP

Proposed Level 5

ROOM SCHEDULE


M/F Unit 1 Studio 1

Level 1

Unit 2 Studio 1

Unit 3 Studio 1


Unit 5 Studio 1

Unit 6 Studio 1






Level 2

Unit 12 Studio 1

Unit 13 Studio 1



Unit 16 Studio 1

Unit 17 Studio 1

Unit 18 Studio 1




Level 3

Unit 22 Studio 1

Unit 23 Studio 1



Unit 26 Studio 1

Unit 27 Studio 1




Level 4

Unit 31 Studio 1

Unit 32 Studio 1

Unit 33 Studio 1


Unit 35 Studio 1

Unit 36 Studio 1

Unit 37 Studio 1

Unit 38 Studio 1

Unit 39 Studio 1

Unit 40 Studio 1

Unit 41 Studio 1

Unit 42 Studio 1

Level 5

Unit 43 Studio 1




Unit 47 Duplex 1

Unit 48 Studio 1


Unit 50 Studio 1

Unit 51 Studio 1

Unit 52 Studio 1

Unit 53 Studio 1

Unit 54 Studio 1

Level 5B






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Authors:

Ximena Perez:MA Historical and Sustainable Architecture - New York University

Colin Wilkinson:Director of the Bluecoat Press - Liverpool, UK

Editor:

Ximena Perez

Photos:

Paul McMullin

Alan Wu

Design:

Fabrik Studio

List of contributors

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the produce exchange - a unique piece of history

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