DEVELOPMENT
Rowntree House
10 Pavement, York
Overview
A hidden gem situated at the bottom of the famous Shambles, in the heart of York.
Rowntree House had been left semi-derelict and in a desperate state of disrepair for nearly 50 years. Transforming this unloved and uncared for space in to 8 luxury apartments was going to be no mean feet.
The Buildings History
The start of the Rowntree story - 1822 - Joseph Rowntree (Senior), arrived in York as a 21-year-old man to attend an auction at The Elephant and Castle Inn, in Skeldergate with the intention of buying a grocery shop. He had his sights set on what was then known as No- 28 Pavement, an empty and dilapidated Georgian property. The auctioneer was so drunk that Joseph had to dip his head in a bucket to sober him up so that the sale could be concluded. Joseph was to transform the property into a high-class grocer, tea merchant and coffee roasting emporium in the heart of the city. In 1851 Joseph (Junior), then aged 15 joined his father in the grocery store as an apprentice. For 2 years' Joseph worked alongside fellow apprentices George Cadbury and Lewis Fry although this is not the Lewis Fry of Frys Chocolates as previously thought.
The Development
The most striking part of this development is the entrance, with its stunning sweeping staircase and bespoke feature lighting arrangement. As the building is grade II listed, everything that was included at the time of the listing had to be retained, refurbished and brought back to its former glory. It required pain staking checks and the skills and craftsmanship of many professionals, many of whom were of a select few still left in their field. In addition, the team worked closely with the Rowntree Society to ensure that the renovation was appropriate to the building’s history, whilst the careful and considered design brought with it the standard of living and luxury that we come to expect today. Moulds were made of the original coving so that any missing or damaged pieces could be replaced exactly as it once was. The original doors were lovingly dipped and restored, and the window frames were brought back to their once perfect state.
