A1 Hotel

James Blake's second
A1 Hotel
located on the south-east corner of Cashel and Colombo Street, about 1875 - 77
Architect
Isaac Martin Seigmund Jacobsen

... the A1 Hotel, it may be stated that the present building, the main features of which are a low roof and a superfluity of gables, is about to be replaced by a very handsome hotel, designed by Mr Jacobsen. The Cashel Street front will be 49 feet and the Colombo Street 51 feet, the height of the walls to the top of the parapet being 29 feet.

A Grecian style of architecture has been adopted for the street elevations, and it has been so worked out as to produce a very excellent effect. On the ground-floor there are two doors and three sets of large plate-glass windows in Cashel Street, one set with door being so arranged that 14ft of the frontage may be let as a shop. There is a large door at the corner of the two streets leading into the public bar, and on the Colombo Street frontage there are two triple windows of plate glass, a double door, and two single plate glass windows beyond. On the upper floor there are five large plate glass windows looking into each street, flanked with pilasters and surmounted by pediments, a heavy cornice and handsome parapet marking the summit of the walls.

The cellarage will consist of an excavation 49 feet by 20 feet. On the ground floor there will be a public bar 23 feet by 14 feet, with three entrances, kitchen, larder, sitting room, hall, two bar parlors, and private bar, which is to be very elegantly fitted up with panel work and large mirrors on the London principle. On the upper floor, there will be a private sitting room, twelve bedrooms and a bathroom. All the party walls will be of brick, but the fronts elevation will be executed in wood. When the building is erected, it will make a great improvement in the appearance of this part of the city ... The Star, Issue 1611, 23 April 1873, Page 2

NEW BUILDINGS. - The A1 Hotel, which has a somewhat primitive appearance in comparison with some of its neighbours, is about to be replaced by a new and more pretentious structure, Mr Jacobsen being the architect. A tender for carrying out the work according to the plans prepared by Mr Jacobsen, and already described, has been accepted, and the contract is to be entered upon forthwith. The cost of the building will be considerably over £2,000. - The Star, 2 March 1874.

Mr Blake, of the A1 Hotel, has improved upon his original plan by adding another floor to it, thus making the building three storeys in height. This will increase the number of rooms to forty-seven, thirty of which will be used as bedrooms. The total cost of the new hotel - which has already been commenced - will be about £3000. - The Star, Issue 1927, 8 May 1874, Page 2

Benjamin Button, was charged with having neglected to keep a light burning, between sunset and sunrise, on a scaffolding erected by him in front of the A1 Hotel, Cashel street. Constable Beck proved that there was no light up to 11 o'clock, but he could not say whether there was afterwards or not. Accused said he thought the large lamp in front of the hotel would be sufficient up to 11 o'clock. His Worship said the law provided that persons having any timber erections outside buildings in the city should keep lights burning in front of them between sunset and sunrise, and it must be enforced. Accused would therefore be fined 10s. - The Star, Issue 2114, 17 December 1874, Page 2