▁in ▁early ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁A ▁government ▁decision ▁to ▁dispose ▁of ▁this ▁Crown ▁land ▁prompt ed ▁the ▁re development ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁side ▁of ▁Queen ▁street ▁bounded ▁by ▁the ▁old ▁Br is b ane ▁Town ▁Hall ▁( in ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁N EXT ▁Hotel ▁site ) ▁and ▁Albert ▁Street . ▁ ▁Ex - Col onial ▁Arch itect ▁Francis ▁D G ▁Stanley ▁super vised ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁by ▁contract or ▁H ▁Hol mes . ▁With ▁a ▁front age ▁of ▁ ▁to ▁Queen ▁Street ▁and ▁a ▁depth ▁of ▁, ▁this ▁substantial ▁w are house ▁incorpor ated ▁features ▁designed ▁to ▁" me et ▁the ▁requirements ▁of ▁a ▁tropical ▁climate ". ▁The ▁three ▁store y ▁building ▁with ▁bas ement ▁was ▁notable ▁for ▁its ▁ ▁ce il ings , ▁and ▁had ▁an ▁o val ▁opening ▁ ▁in ▁each ▁floor . ▁This ▁device ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁allow ▁vent ilation ▁and ▁better ▁light ▁disp ersion . ▁A ▁hyd ra ul ic - power ed ▁Ot is ▁lift ▁was ▁also ▁incorpor ated ▁in ▁the ▁building . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁dissol ved ▁when ▁Richard ▁Edwards ▁retired ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁and ▁James ▁Chap man ▁obtained ▁title ▁to ▁the ▁site ▁in ▁May ▁of ▁that ▁year . ▁As ▁Chap man ▁and ▁Company ▁the ▁business ▁divers ified ▁into ▁soft ▁furn ish ings ▁and ▁furn iture . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 ▁extensive ▁alter ations ▁were ▁carried ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁shop front s ▁by ▁SS ▁Car rick ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁architect ural