‘Landmark’ Leeds office building completes
THE much-anticipated Central Square development by M&G Real Estate has completed.
The property investors and development partners Marrico Asset Management have finished work on the 217,810 sq ft offices, which it says are the largest speculative development of its kind to ever open in Leeds.
Big Four accountancy firm and anchor tenant PwC have already moved 750 staff in.They signed a 15-year lease for 49,621 sq ft.
RSM are set to take up 25,424 sq ft space in early 2017, bringing over 350 staff.
Marks & Spencer, taking 4,696 sq ft, and Caffè Nero, taking 1,733 sq ft, will occupy the ground floor.
Sam Jones, Asset Manager at M&G Real Estate said: “Central Square will deliver much-needed high-quality office space in Leeds. Following practical completion, we are pleased to announce our first two lettings for the retail and leisure space on the ground floor. We expect the new state-of-the-art offices and associated amenities to attract further tenants and contribute to the creation of a new city centre destination.”
Mark Barnes, managing partner at Marrico Asset Management said: “We appointed architects DLA to design a building that provides large office plates, not available elsewhere in Leeds, and incorporated a vibrant mix of retail and leisure. The architectural design sympathetically respects the Conservation Area and yet incorporates striking fully glazed elevations. Without doubt Central Square is a “City of London” building, which is a market leader both in terms of scale and the exceptional quality of finishes adopted throughout.”
Christopher D Richmond, head of real estate at PwC said: “The project itself was a 3-year partnership that saw unprecedented collaboration at every stage of the build process. PwC saw an opportunity with the design process to work with the developer and their architect to take a blank sheet of paper and raise the bar with the aim of delivering a landmark sustainable building and in doing so create a truly vibrant, inspiring and flexible workplace for our people.
“Rarely are world class office buildings such as Central Square conceived and constructed outside London and it is a testament to all parties and their professional teams working together to deliver exemplar quality, performance and design.”
Sanderson Weatherall and JLL represented M&G Real Estate for the office lettings and JLL acted for M&G Real Estate for the retail lettings.
