Interesting

I took these pictures with the intent of lamenting the spiral staircase that was long, long ago removed - but in looking at this I no longer believe there was a spiral staircase in this building, ever. The stairs from the lobby to the second floor had some beautiful woodwork (which was painted over who knows how long ago and then in part irreparably water-damaged in the fire and subsequently replaced with drywall). Because of the woodwork on that first flight of stairs and the lack of evidence of a landing for a staircase in the lobby I had figured the spiral staircase must have ended on the second floor. But now that they have removed all the old carpet on the second floor and the ancient discolouration from the original runners is visible I'm convinced there never was a spiral staircase at all. Certainly there was an oval hole to let light down into the lobby from ( the dome ) , but if you look at the way the stain lines up with the door to the stairwell (top centre), goes around the hole in a square and then disappears straight into the wall and that there is no indication of a path into/out-of the oval it looks more like the oval was just a hole. Each floor had an oval hole with a rail completely around it and the present staircase (which always stuck me as weirdy redundant - why build an ordinary staircase right next to a spiral staircase?) was always the only staircase. The rail around the oval hole must have been something like the remaining ( banister at the roof access )

( More Pictorial Evidence )

About bloody time!

Look! They primed the deck today! Of course it's a shitty job. There are little splats of paint all over the south wall and somehow Jazz has a spot of white paint on his head.