Major changes are progressing on York’s fastest evolving street.
The look of Piccadilly has changed forever with the demolition of a huge four storey building.
Nearby, the famous facade of a true York landmark is propped up as development continues behind it. Both projects will become large hotels, making Piccadilly one of the most accommodation-heavy streets in the city.
Swinson House, dating from 1939 and previously used by HM Revenue and Customs, has now been razed to the ground.
Demolition began in February. Now the site, found next door to Spark York, is almost entirely cleared, ready to make way for a 132-room hotel with restaurant and bar.
Meanwhile the famous facade of the Banana Warehouse is being kept in place by huge steel props.
Most of the rest of the famous warehouse is being removed. But the facade is staying, to be incorporated into a 168-bedroom hotel that is being built next to the recently opened 143-room Hampton by Hilton hotel.
The Banana Warehouse was built for FT Burley, wholesale fruit merchants, in 1925.
Barges delivered green bananas along the River Foss to the back of the building. Transferred to special warm ripening rooms, they were soon ready to eat and kept in refrigerated storage until sold.
Later it became home to Dave Dee Hughes’ famous Aladdin’s cave of second hand goods.