Northwood Investors has appointed two agents to market its 300,000 sq ft office and retail landmark development in Leeds city centre.
The ground floor of the 1932-built Broad Gate — overlooking The Headrow, the city’s civic and cultural heart — was for decades the home of Leeds’ first department store, Lewis’s. It was then taken over by retailer Allders.
The privately-held real estate investment advisor has now charged commercial property agents, Knight Frank, and international advisors Colliers to find tenants for four prime retail units and four floors of Grade A office space. The building also has a suite of penthouse offices.
Existing Broad Gate occupiers include professional services firms KPMG, Yorkshire Building Society, management consultants Cap Gemini, serviced business network PURE Offices and the American environmental safety consultants Environ. Colliers also has an office in the building.
Roddy Morrison, of Colliers, says he has already received “considerable interest” in the 10,814 sq ft suites available at Broad Gate. “There is a dire shortage of Grade A office stock in the city centre and together with Knight Frank we have an unrivalled knowledge of what this very special office building has to offer,” he said.
Frank Knight partner, Eamon Fox, added: “The excellent location, overlooking The Headrow, creates a business destination with all the benefits of the city centre on its doorstep. The transformation of this historic building offers a unique opportunity to take some of the most remarkable space in the city centre.”
Broad Gate now has the largest prestige office floor plates available anywhere in Leeds and can accommodate office demands from 2,088 to 40,000 sq ft. Its web site claims tenants will “enjoy unique design features that include an impressive double height reception and a breath taking full height atrium, overlooked by each of the office floors and crossed by elegant glazed walkways”.
Iain Taylor is an associate director at Northwood Investors. “We have appointed the Leeds office of Knight Frank alongside the Leeds office of Colliers to market the remaining space at Broad Gate because we were very impressed with their enthusiasm and superb track record in the city,” he commented. “Their experience and expertise will be invaluable as we seek to let the final office space in our flagship building.”
The refurbishment work on the former department store was undertaken by Wates, which received several awards for the high-tech project. During the renovation stage it used a pioneering 3D model to determine the optimum demolition and reconstruction sequence. The contractor also used mechanical robots for much of the demolition. And during the life of the contract Wates set a new industry record by mounting the largest single advertising banner in Europe on the roof, generating more than £100,000 in future business.
Previous Post
Scottish Businesses invited to plug in to Energy Study
