The HSBC Building was originally built for the British Bank of the Middle East (BBME). BBME started as the Imperial Bank of Persia in 1889. At the time, it was the first modern bank in Iran. In 1952, the bank exited the Iranian market and was later renamed the British Bank of the Middle East (BBME). In 1959, BBME was acquired by HSBC.
Entrance to Starbucks at the Elphinstone Building, which is owned by the Tata Group. It has been the office of Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus of the Tata Group, ever since he shifted to Elphinstone Building from Bombay House. On 19 October 2012, Starbucks opened its first store in India, on the ground floor of the Elphinstone Building.
Brady House is located between the Elphinstone Building and HSBC Bank and was formerly known as the Royal Insurance Building. In the past, Brady House was the office of the Bombay Baroda & Central India Railways and later, the Times of India. Currently, it is the office of the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Punjab National Bank.
Located at the intersection of Veer Nariman Marg and SA Brelvi Road, Elphinstone Building was designed by Rienzi Giesman Walton (1842-1900). As a municipal engineer, Walton executed several landmark projects in Mumbai, notably the Elphinstone Circle Garden, Northbrook Garden, Hanging Gardens at Malabar Hill, and Colaba Market, among many others.
The Town Hall has extended overhangs that cover the doors and windows. They are protected from rain during the monsoon season. The overhangs are made of decorative wooden panels and supported on brackets. The window blinds are made from horizontal wooden slats (Venetian blinds), giving protection from the scorching sun during summer.
Facade of Sir HC Dinshaw Building at 16 Horniman Circle. The building was constructed in 1924 on the location of the Bank of Bombay (now the premise of State Bank of India), which was the first building erected on the Circle. The building is one of many establishments owned by the Parsi community in and around the Horniman Circle.