Rylands Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rylands Building |
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The Rylands Building from Piccadilly Gardens
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| General information | |
| Type | Warehouse (1932–1957) Department store (1957–2021) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | Manchester, Greater Manchester, England |
| Address | 109–127 Market Street, M60 1TA |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 10 |
| Floor area | 500,000 sq ft (46,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Fairhursts (Harry S. & P. G. Fairhurst) |
| Designations | |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Rylands Building (Debenhams) | |
| Designated: | 5 June 1994 |
| Reference #: | 1219831 |
The Rylands Building is a special building in Manchester, England. It is a Grade II listed building, which means it is protected because of its history and unique design. This building is on Market Street in the city centre. It is part of the Smithfield area, which was once famous for its markets and textile warehouses.
Contents
History of the Rylands Building
From Warehouse to Store
The Rylands Building was first built as a large warehouse. It was made for the Rylands textile company, which was started by a businessman named John Rylands. The company had been using warehouses in High Street since 1822.
Building Design and Style
The famous Manchester architects, Fairhursts, designed the building. They used the Art Deco style, which was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. The building is covered in Portland stone. It has a fancy corner tower and cool 'zig zag' window frames. The construction of the building finished in 1932.
Becoming a Department Store
In 1957, a fire destroyed Paulden's Department Store in All Saints. After this, Paulden's bought the Rylands warehouse building. They changed it into a department store. At that time, the top floor still belonged to Rylands & Sons Ltd.
A Popular Shopping Spot
The new Paulden's store became a big competitor to the Lewis's store across Market Street. In 1973, Debenhams, which owned Paulden's, changed the store's name to Debenhams. It stayed a Debenhams store until it closed in 2021. The Rylands Building outlasted other big Manchester department stores like Lewis's and C&A.
New Life for the Building
In 2023, a company called AM Alpha shared plans to update the Rylands Building. The goal was to create new offices, shops, and fun places inside. The plans also included adding a four-story extension on the roof.
Modern Updates and Completion
Jeffrey Bell Architects designed these new plans. Manchester City Council approved them in May 2021. The construction work was completed in 2025. The Rylands Building now has a new purpose for the city.
See also
- Listed buildings in Manchester-M60
