▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁and ▁was ▁completed ▁by ▁ 1 9 3 8 . ▁Charles ▁Herbert ▁Re illy , ▁a ▁contemporary ▁architecture ▁critic , ▁thought ▁the ▁extension ▁was ▁' d ull ' ▁and ▁' d rab ' ▁while ▁Nikol aus ▁Pe vs ner ▁considered ▁it ▁was ▁Harris ' s ▁best ▁work . ▁It ▁is ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁town ▁hall ▁by ▁gla zed ▁ped est rian ▁brid ges ▁at ▁first - floor ▁level . ▁▁ 2 1 st - century ▁ref urb ishment ▁By ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁Town ▁Hall ▁was ▁being ▁described ▁as ▁" be ing ▁in ▁ur gent ▁need ▁of ▁essential ▁repair " ▁and ▁modern isation . ▁In ▁a ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁report , ▁Manchester ▁City ▁Council ▁highlight ed ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁replace ▁the ▁building ' s ▁he ating ▁and ▁elect rical ▁systems , ▁ref urb ish ▁windows ▁and ▁high - level ▁stone work ▁and ▁repair ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁roof ing . ▁The ▁cost ▁of ▁this ▁work , ▁including ▁work ▁on ▁impro ving ▁the ▁ad jo ining ▁square , ▁are ▁estimated ▁to ▁£ 2 . 2 mill ion . ▁ ▁Architecture ▁ ▁The ▁rapid ▁growth ▁and ▁accomp any ing ▁poll ution ▁in ▁Victor ian ▁cities ▁caused ▁great ▁problems ▁for ▁architect s ▁including ▁den ial ▁of ▁light , ▁over c row ding , ▁awk ward ▁sites , ▁noise , ▁access ibility ▁and ▁visibility ▁of ▁buildings , ▁and ▁air ▁poll ution . ▁Pro vision ▁for ▁" the ▁su ffic iency ▁of ▁window ▁light ▁supplied ▁throughout ▁the ▁building