City centre offices to be created

MORE than 20,000 sq ft of office space is to be created in Leeds – helping to quash worries about a lack of facilities in the city centre.

Property development company Exemplar Properties is extending the NatWest Bank premises at 8 Park Row.

The building, which is undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment, will have a new banking hall and glazed entrance and will be ready for occupation in October.

NatWest is retaining 3,800 sq ft of offices on the first floor, but floors two to seven, featuring a total of 22,800 sq ft are available to rent. There are also 16 basement parking spaces.

Guy Cooke, of letting agents Knight Frank, said: “This is a superb opportunity in Leeds’s professional core.  Exemplar Properties are taking advantage of the lack of supply of quality offices in the heart of Leeds and will provide something very special indeed.

“The location and the profile of 8 Park Row is fantastic – and this will now be matched by the building. The development specification is very high, with full air-conditioning, a new reception, lifts, lavatories and windows.”

There will also be a new ground floor retail unit, next to the offices’ entrance.

Campbell MacDougall, of Exemplar Properties, said: “This is an extremely exciting project for us. Leeds is acknowledged as one of the finest financial centres in the UK and the creation of Grade A offices in its professional and retail heart will provide an unrivalled opportunity for quality occupiers.”

Exemplar Properties focuses on the development, refurbishment and management of large scale commercial and residential assets.

It was established in 2003 by Clive Bush and Daniel Van Gelder and now numbers 20 professionals.

8 Park Row is part of the Omega Land BV portfolio co-owned by the Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund V and Exemplar.