factory

Victorian factory, designed 1883; opened 1886, comprising ten-bay two-storey with pitched roof and three-bay three-storey block with hipped roof. Closed in 1980 and adapted to alternative use in 1981. Dog-tooth brickwork to eaves, above ground floor openings to two-storey block, and also to central first floor bay of three-storey block. Red brick façade in English garden wall bond with limestone banding and dressings and having brick pilasters. Engaged limestone columns to openings on ground floor of three storey block. Limestone plinth course with brick band. Round headed window openings with extended cills to second floor, camber headed openings with cills to first floor, extended to three storey block. Windows to upper floors are a mix of timber sliding sash single pane and replacement fixed timber glazed panels or fixed metal windows with glazing bars. Former archways to ground floor infilled with glazed timber screens, and modern glazed display windows to openings. Street frontage with annexes to rear.

By the late 1890's there were four boot factories in the city, including this former Lee Boot Manufacturing Company factory building. The high degree of mechanisation used in Cork's boot factories created a thriving industry, this factory surviving until the 1980's. Historically a very important building in the development of Cork industry. Retains a highly distinctive and almost intact façade, despite the poor condition of some of the remaining timber sliding sash windows, the inconsistent replacement of windows, and the use of awnings to the ground floor display windows.