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Leeds' Favourite Building: Civic Hall and Bridge House.
shortlist chosen by YEP readers. Tuesday's buildings are Leeds Civic Hall and Leeds Bridge House. Suzanne McTaggart reports
One is a symbol of civic pride and the other lies close to one of Leeds's most famous landmarks.
* CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR LEEDS CIVIC HALL.
* CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR BRIDGE HOUSE.
But both hold a special place in the hearts of YEP readers June Gill and Paul Cockroft, who nominated them as their favourite buildings.
Overlooking Millennium Square, Leeds Civic Hall was designed by Vincent Harris and was opened in 1933 by King George V.
Many local people were employed as a result of the construction of the grade two-listed building, which took place at the height of the Great Depression.
In her nomination, Mrs Gill, of South Milford, said: "Modern, elegant and to my mind stands out from all the rest. It is also a building in a commanding position which can be viewed from a reasonable distance without other buildings or traffic getting in the way."
Coun Richard Brett, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "The city is blessed with many examples of great architecture and classic buildings. The Civic Hall, which was built by the people of Leeds in the early 1930s, is one of the best and would be a worthy winner of the city's favourite building award."
Leeds Bridge House opened in 1879 and was originally called the Cobdent Temperance Hotel, owned by Leeds banker John James Cousins.
The hotel closed in 1900, when it was taken over by Tunstall and Co, and the building had a number of uses until it was scheduled for demolition in 1960. It was reprieved and made into offices in 1981.
Mr Cockroft, of Tingley, said in his entry: "I first saw Leeds Bridge House when I was a small boy growing up during the early 1970s. I thought it looked like a magnificent bar of Toblerone chocolate.
"Whenever I see this grand yet simplistic building with its fabulous curves and rooftop play space, it always brings a warm glow to my face."
As reported in Monday's YEP, Leeds Town Hall and Leeds Grand Theatre were the first two buildings to be nominated in our search for Leeds's favourite building.
On Friday, once we have revealed all the shortlisted buildings, a vote will be held in the paper and online at www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk.
Readers are asked to vote for their favourite, with the winner announced at the Leeds Architecture Awards on January 28.
The awards are jointly promoted by Leeds City Council and the Leeds Chamber Property Forum, in association with the Leeds Society of Architects, the Landscape Institute, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation and Leeds Civic Trust.
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Weather for Leeds
Thursday 24 May 2012
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