Shout it from the rooftops

Thursday, April 17, 2008

The Herald

The ceremony on a windy rooftop was, quite literally, the high point of Glasgow’s office market in 2008. The traditional act of ‘topping out’ marked a key stage in the construction of the only large new Grade-A office building in the city which will complete this year and, in these thoughtful times for the commercial property industry, revealed a lot about the past as well as the future.

The six storey, 98,814 sq ft Cuprum building on Argyle Street is being developed by Taylor Wimpey with forward funding from the Kenmore property Group, and either the altitude – a glass of champagne the best part of 100 feet above ground – or the striking views over the city centre brought on some serious reflections.

Maurice Rodger, of architects Aedas, who started master planning the recovery of this area of the city 23 years ago, described the building as another turning point in the regeneration of the Anderston area. A century ago it was an independent burgh, but by the post-wars years living standards had become unacceptable, its original heart obliterated by the arrival of the Kingston Bridge and the unattractive Anderston centre created in its place.

“East motorway was created as a multi-use commercial, residential, shopping and office complex which we as architects romantically called a ‘mega-structure’,” said Rodger. “Later, when we were more honest with ourselves, we called it a mega-mistake. We have been seeking to unpick that concept ever since.”

Cuprum is the latest of five phases since developers TW first become involved with Glasgow City Council in improving the area in 1995 and, according to Rodger, is designed to be “outward-looking and address the building to the streets” in contrast to the earlier concrete jungle.

“It is well mannered” in its architecture, significantly enhancing the stature of the area”, he said. “Being so close to the Kingston Bridge, it is a gateway building and creates a façade which has a strong presence on Argyle Street.”

With glazing chosen to minimise solar gain but maximise daylight, it will achieve ‘very good’ BREEAM environmental rating.

Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell, treated to an unusual open-air panorama over the International Financial District IFSD), rose quickly to its defence: “When we launched it six years ago people were very cynical about the idea that Glasgow would have such a burgeoning sector as it now does,” he said. “The IFSD is on course to achieve its target of 20,000 new jobs. “Just standing at this height and looking across parts of the city, we can see the remarkable changes that Glasgow is going through just now. We have record numbers of people in employment – more than at any time in our history. It is hard to believe, for example, that more people work in the service sector in Glasgow today than ever worked in shipbuilding at its height.

“I think there is a sense of opportunity and ambition about this city that did not exist in the 1980s when I came out of school. It would have been unthinkable then that Glasgow would have been bidding for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, let alone winning them. That is a great statement of the role and sense of ambition Glasgow has about it.

“If we can’t capture that ambition and confidence just now, with this very positive atmosphere we are working in, to leave a legacy behind us in terms of employment and establishing Glasgow as a major events destination, then we will have failed and people like me should not be in the job I am in,” Purcell added bravely.

He praised the partnership between public services and the private sector which was benefiting the city. He said “At the end of the day it is those of you who create the environment, the employment, the wealth, that allows people like me to try to make things better for the people of Glasgow.

“I am quite clear the Commonwealth Games are not the be-all and end-all. They will come and they will go and it is our job to ensure we maximise the opportunity for the business community and the people of the city between now and 2014, and have a clear vision of what we are looking for post-2014 in terms of big events and the next big ideas.” If we continue to work together in the kind of team atmosphere that we have, then I am sure we will continue to see Glasgow flourish.”

Keith Lamey, the developers’ director of major projects, was modest about their good fortune, but the reality is they could hardly have schedule it better, producing the only big new office scheme which will be ready this year into a marketplace where there is a shortage. “Let’s hope that, in a difficult business environment, we have got the timing right and the marketing is going to bring forward the occupiers who will help to generate possibly as many as 1000 new jobs; 2 said Lamey.

“I’d love to say the timing was deliberate, but we are certainly in a good position and going forward to completion later this year with a lot of confidence.”

A distinctive feature of the property is its very large floor plates, up to 16,329 sq ft, with rentals expected tower of 122 apartments is also under construction. The agents are DTZ and Jones Lang LaSalle.