226 Meeting Street (Commercial Building), Charleston

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS SC,10-CHAR,191-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

mercial building with interesting architectural features and ornamental details. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. Condition: Poor. Areas are rusty and paint is peeling off. Some small sections are broken. The front is not maintained, especially the upper portion; building is cast iron. B. Over-all dimensions: Four stories, three bays in width, 20' frontage. C. First Story: Arcaded, with Roman Corinthian pilasters at the ends and columns between,*omamental archivolt. Spandrels are ornamented in relief conventional foliage with stalks centered over columns and pilasters. Above is a frieze with an arcaded motive, at each end of which is a large foliated corbel carry- ing a projecting block with a panel in the face, containing symmetrical leafy scrolls.

Between these blocks is an orna- mented cornice. Openings are presently filled with plate glass windows and semicircular transoms. D. Second Story: Arcaded, with four paneled pilasters bearing Corinthianesque capitals. Inside each opening is an ornamented cove molding with a leaf at the crown. Spandrel ornament and cornice are like those of the first story except that the frieze is plain. In two openings are wood double-hung sash, perhaps original; six panes below and six above, in addition to four panes in the form of sectors. 2. Third Story: The same as the second story except for being of lesser height. One window remains, with four panes in the lower sash. F. Fourth Story: Three segmental-arched windows and paneled Ionic pilasters. Only upper half of sash remain, with six panes.

Above the center of each window is a small leafy rosette, with a spandrel panel on each side. Above this is a frieae with coarse dentils at the top. Two small simple consoles above the Inner piers and a large console with COMMERCIAL BUILDING FRONT HABS No. (Page 2) acanthus leaf at each end, support the overhang of the cornice, which, contains six panels in the soffit. Above the end con- soles are blocks bearing lions1 heads the corona and cymatium of the cornice extend between them. At the crown is a hori- zontal panel with small pedestals at the ends, with a double- leafy scroll at each end. G. Site: This building is on the east side of Meeting Street, between Pinckney and Hasell Streets; faces west. Prepared "oy Harley J. McKee, Architect National Park Service September #