Building Name

Nove Building. Oxford Road/ Sidney Street, All Saints

Date
1923 - 1924
Street
Oxford Road
District/Town
All Saints, Manchester
County/Country
GMCA, England
Client
E Nove, builder
Work
New Build

The newest addition to the modern Oxford Road, which owes its inception to the enterprise of Mr. Emanuel Nove, the builder, is a fine block of business premises, shops and offices, reaching now from Sidney-street towards town, now on the point of completion . In undertaking the work, Mr. Nove, who has for many years been a big factor in building development in this part of the city, mad efficiency and severe simplicity his first aim. In conjunction with Messrs. Pendleton and Dickinson, architects, of Brazennose-street, Manchester, designs were prepared for a two-storey steel framed building, moulded as can be seen from the sketch, on strictly geometrical lines, and faced with terra cotta, that should be at once striking and effective. Messrs. Robinson and Kershaw, of the Temple Ironworks, Manchester, who have erected the steelwork for some 1,100 of the most important buildings in the North, manufactured and erected the steelwork for the new building, and thus assurance was made of the quality of the constructional work. The remaining contractors were chosen with similar care, and the result obviously justifies the discrimination.

The shopfronts, of course, had to be constructed according to the requirements of the various firms, and these, fitted by firms of national repute, including Messrs. Davis and Messrs. Taggart, show how remarkably this particular department of building has developed in recent years. Attractive display has been proved the finest salesman, whether the scale be large or small, and just as chocolate manufacturers found that beautifully designed boxes added to the popularity of any brand, or cinema managers that appropriately decorated theatre exteriors increased the number of their patrons, so shopkeepers have discovered the immense difference that a crowded sic-inch deep window and a tastefully dressed square window can make to their sales. It was considered a joke ten years ago when an exclusive Bond-street firm of milliners exhibited in its windows one lone, solitary hat. Now it is appreciated as a lesson in salesmanship, and many firms prefer the window space to exceed the shop space. The windows in the new premises are constructed to meet the display of varying articles from frocks to wallpapers, and form in themselves an excellent study in modern methods.

The attractive qualities of any building, however, would be very slight if it depended solely upon an item such as shop-fitting. It is necessary in premises of this kind that the whole frontage should please the eye of the prospective customers, whether by reason of its form, materials, colouring or mouldings. The use of terra cotta, which the efforts of the Hathern Station Company during recent years have brought into merited prominence, was in the present case exceptionally well-advised. This material permits of the retaining of architectural mouldings and details quite impossible on account of cost in any stone, and enables the builder to produce an effect reassembling that of a Portland stone structure at a commercial price. The terra cotta here effectively adds to the general impressiveness of the straight lines of the building, and does a great deal to make it pleasing in appearance. As illustrating how eagerly builders are realising the advantages of terra cotta, readers of the "City News" building supplements will have noted within recent months cinemas, theatres, dance halls, motor works and warehouses all utilising this material

The interior of the new building reveals that all the most modern methods of equipment have been carefully studied and applied. The flooring is of wood blocks, the heating is done centrally, the windows are steel frame and so on. The ground floor is occupied exclusively by the shops, while the upper floors are fitted into spacious offices, studios and general building premises. Though the building is not quite complete, tenancies were acquired long ago, and most of the shops have been occupied for a few weeks. It might be remarked incidentally, that Mr Nove and his contractors have between them accomplished one of the fastest building achievements on local record. It is only a little more than a couple of months since operations were begun.

Three storey. Eight shops with offices studios and business premises on the upper floors, including numbers 93 and 97 Oxford Road. Date stone of 1923 shown on perspective drawing. White glazed terra cotta frontage. Demolished. Site of Manchester Metropolitan Students Union and Mancunian Way. Apparently the first of Emmanuel Nove’s developments in the area. [MEN 18 September 1930 Page 10]

Reference           Manchester City News 12 April 1924 Page 6 with perspective drawing