The Army & Navy Building, on Esplanade Road skirting Kala Ghoda, housed the inaugural branch of the Army & Navy Stores in nineteenth century-India. Popularly referenced today as “the Westside building”, this has a complex history. 

The Bombay Fort walls were demolished by 1864 in the expansion plan actioned by Governor Henry Bartle Frere. It introduced some striking features. Before the “colonnaded arcade” concept became visible along DN Road, this was evidenced at Army & Navy Building and the two buildings flanking it. 

This design element extended beyond, to 1860s-erected Watson’s Hotel (Esplanade Mansion). Right-flanking Army & Navy Building, it is famed for being the country’s first pre-fabricated cast iron structure and the place at which the Lumiere brothers screened six shorts in 1896 — heralding cinema in India. On the left of the Army & Navy Building, the David Sassoon Library and Reading Room was earlier the Mechanics Institute, funded by Sassoon to impart technical education and host lectures.