A major Glasgow city centre office block is to be refurbished and extended after planning approval was secured.
The building at 150 St Vincent Street, constructed in 1976 as the former Scottish Amicable Life Assurance Society HQ, is set to undergo renovation, with an extra four stories added.
A gym, yoga areas, bike storage, showers and outdoor terraces will be provided as part of the development. Real estate fund Clearbell Property Partners, the firm behind the scheme, is promising a sustainable development.
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Renovating the block, which is currently offices with a restaurant at ground level, will increase the floorspace from 69,000 sq ft to 151,000 sq ft. Plans submitted to the council describe the project as a “full back to frame refurbishment”.
It will include a programme of demolition and extension and the developers have said the scheme will deliver “one of the city’s first sustainable retrofit projects and is being designed to net zero carbon construction and operational standards”.
“This proposed development presents an opportunity to address the increasing demand for Grade A commercial office accommodation with Glasgow city centre while retaining and retrofitting the existing office building,” the plans stated.
A new feature entrance and ground floor commercial units are planned to “create activity and benefit the wider city”. The office building, next to the A-listed ‘Hatrack’ building, will be “an attractive improvement to the central business district and Blythswood area”, the plans added.
When Clearbell took over the building, Nick Berry, a partner at Clearbell Capital, said: “As we have seen since the end of lockdown, quality workspace in the right areas continue to attract tenants and to generate good rental income.
“Glasgow has long been a centre for business and is bouncing back from the impact of the pandemic. With the renewed impetus of COP26, pressure on landlords is ramping up to deliver greener buildings than ever before.
“We are seeking to create one of Glasgow’s most sustainable office spaces and to create a workplace for the occupiers of the future.”
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