East Melbourne, Simpson Street 054, 056, Liege Apartments

Notable features include unpainted decorative brickwork. A three storey block of flats incorporating a number of understated Moderne details into an inexpensive and otherwise generic design. The building is predominantly finished in cream coloured face brick and comprises a massive, orthogonal block with a central projecting bay rising through the building to terminate above the level of the roof. At the upper levels, the entrance bay presents a curved wall in smooth render to the street with slender vertical windows providing light to the internal stair. Balconies, at each floor level, have been crudely enclosed, using aluminium windows, which adversely impact on the original appearance of the building. [i-Heritage database]

I.G. Anderson was commissioned to build this block of apartments by Liege Investments Pty Ltd, a company which had applied for registration less than a week before the building application was lodged on 12 August 1940. This was the same day the building application was lodged for 29 Hotham Street, also by Anderson. The proposed directors of the company were Newton James Francis, solicitor, Mary Veronica Cranage and Margaret Clare Kerrins. Both women had farming backgrounds and had trained as nurses, but by this time called themselves investors. The stated purpose of the company was to carry on a business of stock, station and general agents.