Construction work in Leeds to create flagship office building City Square House has reached its first major milestone.
Developers MRP are driving forward the 140,000 sq ft office building next to Leeds Station and contractors McAleer & Rushe, which began construction in May 2021, has now erected its first tower crane.
City Square House is expected to open in next summer and the opening will coincide with the completion of the public realm improvement works at City Square.
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Leading global law firm DLA Piper has signed a deal to take 83,000 sq ft of prime office space at City Square House in the largest private sector pre-let deal in Leeds in the past 20 years.
Eamon Fox, partner and head of office agency at global property consultancy Knight Frank in Leeds, who is advising MRP, said: “It is tremendous to see this flagship building slowly taking shape, providing a very genuine cause to be optimistic about the commercial property sector in Yorkshire.
“City Square House is the iconic new office development that the Leeds market has been waiting for. It is in a prime position, just off City Square and next to Leeds Station, and the remaining available space of 55,000 sq ft will help to address the pressing need for quality Grade A office space in the city centre.
“City Square House will now join the Majestic, 1 City Square, 34 Boar Lane and Platform as four state-of-the-art office developments, which are a credit to the city of Leeds. They underline the fact that Leeds is now one of the most flourishing regional cities, not just in the UK, but in Europe.
“It is also fitting that DLA Piper, whose origins as a law firm in Leeds date back to 1764, have kick-started one of the most significant developments in the city so far this century.”
Angus Montieth, development director at MRP added: “We have been quietly going about our business of building the best office building in Leeds with sustainability and wellbeing at the heart of its design. City Square House office will quickly take shape during 2022 and it will slot into place as the final piece of the City Square regeneration plan”.
Mr Fox said the pandemic had transformed the ways of working, with businesses wanting to provide appealing office environments for staff to enjoy working collaboratively.
He said: “The speculative development of City Square House was another telling reminder that the death of the office, because of the global pandemic, was a myth.
“I was fascinated – and reassured – to read the news that Google is backing a return to the office with an investment that will expand its UK capacity by 50% and reinvigorate the work environment.
The Leeds office market is incredibly strong, whatever the doom-mongers might say. Just watch the deals roll in this year.”
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