Colum Buildings was constructed in 1911 replacing earlier houses on Mount Stuart Square (NPRN 400316). The four-storey building presents four bays to the square, a single bay to the south-west corner, and two bays to James Street. The first storey is channel rusticated with entrances in the northernmost bay of the western side and the corner bay. These are both under segmental fanlights, the one in the western side within an arch with an exaggerated keystone. Above, the bays are articulated by pilasters with decorated capitals and festoons supporting a dentil cornice above the third storey. The northernmost bay of the western side the cornice is topped by a decorated pediment. Pillars above the cornice are topped with blocks at roof level between which runs iron railing. The second-storey windows are topped with segmental pediments on brackets decorated with leaf patterns.

(Sources: Victorian Society Tour Notes, VS01/16)
A.N. Coward, RCAHMW, 19.07.2018