Transformation of liverpool building that was first of its kind

Liverpool is known for its incredible buildings and stunning architecture - and one city centre site is no exception. Located on the corner of North John Street and Dale Street, the old

Royal Insurance HQ building was built between 1896 and 1903 and employed generations across the city. Constructed in a Neo-Baroque style and built around a steel frame, the Grade II*-listed

frame is the earliest example of this construction method being used in the entire United Kingdom, making it the first of this kind here. The building is today a hotel but consists of four

storeys and is notable for its domed tower and grand turrets. It's now been over a decade since its transformation, but the ECHO recently rediscovered these brilliant photos of the site

before work began and what it looked like when it reopened as Aloft Hotel - and we wanted to share them. READ MORE: LOST LIVERPOOL BAR THAT YOU 'COULDN'T MISS' ON CITY CENTRE

STREET READ MORE: STUNNING PICTURES SHOW HOW CHESHIRE OAKS WAS BUILT AS IT MARKS 30 YEARS Originally the Royal Insurance HQ building, the company moved its offices to Old Hall Street and

Cornhill in London in the 1970s. After the move, the North John Street location fell into disrepair and was once placed on English Heritage's buildings at risk register. By 2013, it was

bought by the City Council and opened as an Aloft hotel the year after. Singapore-based Fragrance Group bought the building in 2021, and it continues to operate as a hotel. These images

show the inside of the building in the late 00s before renovation work began, and you can also see what Aloft Liverpool looked like when the ECHO was given a first look inside back in 2014.

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