Apart from the fact that building methods in Shanghai are gradually cing revolutionized, the need for more careful attention to godown construction has been demonstrated {in recent years through several disastrous fives, entailing great loss to the owners of the godown stores involved, What appears tobe a first attempt to change completely the old methods of godown construction made evident in a brochure recently issued by the Shanghai Land Invest ment Company, La. which explains in detail the project now well under way by this firm to provide Shanghai with three modern, reinforced concrete fire-proof buildings for godowns, Two of these—buildings—the Lyceum and Museum Godowns—are Doing constructed at the present eon the east side of Museum Road, midway between Peking and Soochow Roads. One, the Ben Godowns, is already finished. Com. pletion of the first two is expected for 1927 and they will represent when finished an important asset to the central business district, Vicinity to Chapoo Road Bridge The site of these structures is especially fortunate in being near fo the new Chapoo Road Bridge with access to all parts of the Hongkew district, and to the Soochow Creek, where much cargo is handled. It is felt, moreover, that the ordinary business traffic will not be hindered through large godowns in this particular vicinity, as the main access to Museum Road will be from Soochow Creek and Soochow Road.
Museum Road is not a thoroughfare, but stops at Peking Road, hence, believed that the stream of yanking among which were undoubtedly the less rapid turnover and the need for protection. But while the principle is being followed at present, the reasons are somewhat different in the main than they might have been in 1870, according to the builders of the new godowns. An example is given of this in the tea business, for instance, where the tea taster is often the owner of the firm. As tea tasting is best done in the _godown where large numbers of samples are available, the advantages of the office's proxry to the godown are obvious.
The Lyceum and Museum Godowns will both be seven storeys in height, The first mentioned will comprise a total godown space of 67,880 sq. ft. with 9,700 sq. ft. on ach floor. Office space on each floor will be 2112 sq. ft., or a total of 16,950. When this building is completed at the end of 1927, all _possible facilities will be -provided to firms for combining offices with the display of goods in godowns. A spacious entrance is being constructed, providing commodious unloading space 80 ft. by 30 ft, and capable lof taking care of motor truck traffic immediately up to two large goods lifts and a wide staircase of easy gradient, 'There will be a landing on each' {floor which will be of sufficient size {to prevent congestion. Each floor will be 11 ft, 6 in, from floor to ceiling and will be adequately lighted and ventilated on three sides. A feature of this building will be the north light windows extending the Jwhole length of the north elevation, leach window measuring 6 ft. high by 8 ft. wide, a fact which make the rooms suitable for tea and silk examining purposes. transporting traffic which will be brought into existence by these new godowns will stare at its own end of the.road and then spread itself font over the new Soochow Creek ridge to the wharves, ete. Museum Road is being widened at the present time, moreover, from a narrow {thoroughfare to a uniform width of to that there will be 50 feet, which offers another reason suppose ity of the godowns.
Land Investment Ca., follow the traditional principle of faving space for offices combined with, godown area, In the old days it was necessary stocks in the same compound as the business office for various reasons, Reduction in Insurance Premiums In all three buildings fire preven-ion points have been carefully studied, and in addition to the fire-resisting construction and hydrants with power pumps, a first class sprinkler system carried out by a Teading British company will be installed. It is said that these! features will mean a reduction of at least 36 per cent. of the ordinary {fre insurance premiums for merchandise stored in the building. Watchmen employed by the Land Investment Company will be on duty al the time, according to the pamphlet supplying these details, The offices will face east on Yuen Ming Yuen Road, overlooking the British Consulate grounds, and. wil 4 be arranged in spacious, well lighted and ventilated suites. In this part lof the building there will be central [hot water heating, an express passenger lift and other up-to-date ac-
Italian Renaissance style Jarchitecture is being used in the Jconstruction of the godowns, and eetden coloured facing' teke' with stone dressings will lend to fie attractive appearance of the buildings' facades, The Yuen Ming Yuen Road front of the Lyceum /Godown will have a handsome com-Panile as, shown in the accompanying "The ground floor fronts on both roads will be arranged with modern copper framed plate glass windows providing a window frontage of ft, divided into four windows on each road, for display purposes.
The same principles of construction are being carried out in the Museum Godown, and provisions for the separate working of office and godown have been carefully considered. The offices will face south and an express lift will be installed to serve all floors. Total godown space in this building will be 44,360 sq, ft, and total office space 33,970 sq. ft. In order to keep office and godown separate, the company has. thad to devote "a portion of the valuable site as a private road, this being on the south side which enables. the office portion to be entirely apart from that of the godown.
The Ben Godown which has just been completed and feceupation is a structure, A driveway of generat proportions makes it possible for a motor truck to pass through and deposit its cargo at the doorway of 'a large lift. The same modern methods of construction are observed in this godown as are being followed in the others, and it, like the other buildings, has been' constructed entirely of concrete, without a single serap of wood being. built into i
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.