Glasgow’s Argyle Street advances with ambitious office vision
October 8 2018
Promised plans for a significant new office development in Glasgow’s International Financial Services District have materialised in the form of a 283,000sq/ft development by Osborne & Co, part of Vanguard Real Estate.
The developer has pledged to invest £95m to deliver the Cooper Cromar designed scheme, which will provide grade A office space for up to 4,000 staff on the city’s Argyle Street.
Will Hean, development director (Scotland), Osborne and Co, said: “Following positive consultation with Glasgow City Council planners, Historic Environment Scotland and the local community, we are pleased to formally lodge our detailed planning application with which we aim to begin the process of a major transformation of Glasgow’s best undeveloped city site.
“We want to deliver an office building that will add value for the city of Glasgow: providing the business community with a quality environment to thrive, a quality product to attract global occupiers and a quality regeneration of a large swath of the IFSD.”
The chosen site is bounded by Robertson and York Street and includes a B-listed building which would be demolished to facilitate the plans. It neighbours a 187,000sq/ft office development anchored by HMRC which has already broken ground.
20 Comments
Even the mentalist Gulf financed hotel tried to include the B listed building.
So what is the going rate for demolishing a listed building -- £10mill to the Common Good fund?
Just what is wrong with the prairies around Washington Street and McAlpine Street -- land banking went rogue?
Some good ideas but the balance needs to be looked at again in the context of where the district is heading rather than where it has come from.
Another level in the grid would help along with less clutter above. It has all the design clarity of a Fab ice lolly at the moment.
However given that is will share a streetscape with the dregs of the Anderson Centre / Cadogan Square the acceptability bar is currently set pretty low.
That area needs the shot in the arm this kind of project would bring, but for god's sake have the sense not to go all philistine on the heritage that's there already.
Not retaining that facade is mind boggling.
Design wise -- turgid and talentless mess.
As for the proposal itself, it continues the fairly bland, 'could be anywhere in the world' architectural language of the IFSD, and doesn't have sufficient height to make it a local landmark.
Personally think it’s awful! Glasgow the city of Glass Boxes! So Sad!! Sold out to the cheapest bidder continually ....
Seems a bit strange how this building seems to have lost the trees growing out of its gutters and similarly shabby appearance in the second picture.
Maybe this is a bit cynical..... as long as its listed it'll all be fine!
Being saved for something special?
That part of Argyle Street is within the Financial District where they desperately need Grade A offices. The developer tried to retain the facade but it’s beyond repair because no one, including the public, tried to save it.
Glasgow city centre is steeped in fantastic Victorian architecture, far better than Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds but I think sometimes you have to move on from the past.
There has to be a cost to the developer for allowing a listed building to be demolished -- rebuild it elsewhere?
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