Knight Frank LLP - Offices Development - Sheffield, Wicker
Date: 04 Feb 2008
A landmark 21st century development hailed as a catalyst for the regeneration of Sheffield's historic Wicker area has been officially launched.
Saville House, on Savile Street, Sheffield, sits yards from the 150-year-old Wicker Arches. It has long stood unoccupied and derelict on one of the major approaches to the city centre. The office development, now undergoing a complete transformation, will prompt a major regeneration of the area over the coming years.
The development is one of the most exciting office developments in the city, and will provide in excess of 100,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation over nine floors. Once completed Saville House will feature a spectacular colour-coated, insulated modular steel panel system with integral solar reflective glazing plus a 277-space high tech car park.
The launch for Saville House was held at Holiday Inn Royal Victoria, Sheffield, and attended by more than 60 key business figures from across Sheffield, including Sheffield City Council chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake and the Lord Mayor Coun Arthur Dunworth.
Sir Bob, who was joined at the launch by Denis Ziman from developers Urban Properties and Tim Bottrill from commercial property consultancy Knight Frank, emphasised the wider contribution the project will have on the area and Sheffield's continuing economic transformation.
Said Sir Bob: "The building has been an eyesore on the Sheffield landscape for some time and I felt that it was one of the buildings in the city centre that we had to get done quickly. Now the eyesore is going to turn into a landmark building and it will provide some terrific space that will be taken up quickly.
"I feel very pleased that this is happening and it is a signal of how strong Sheffield is. I feel that when I leave the city in a few months' time, I leave it in very good hands."
The area surrounding Saville House has recently seen the completion of the Inner Relief Road, plans for a new 80,000 sq ft Tesco store granted, and the Home Office moving into a nearby development.
The project is the first in Sheffield for Urban Properties. The London-based property development company will work closely with the Sheffield office of Knight Frank to promote the transformation of the former 1960's nine storey utilitarian warehouse/storage building and the adjacent vacant Union Forge site.
Denis Ziman from Urban Properties, said: "Saville House is situated on one of the key gateways into the city centre, providing a prominent landmark. It is the highest building in the immediate area so the aspect is second to none. The panoramic view provides spectacular vistas over the whole city."
Tim Bottrill, partner at Knight Frank Sheffield, said: "Saville House is one of the largest speculative developments outside of London at the moment. The development is at a very exciting stage as we are only six weeks away form seeing a major transformation, with practical completion due for autumn this year.
"The regeneration of Saville House will be complimented by a number of schemes which will hopefully assist Sheffield move onto the next level which fits in with Creative Sheffield's new master plan recently launched at the London Stock Exchange."
Support and funding for the project has come from Creative Sheffield, Objective 1, Renaissance South Yorkshire and the European Regional Development Fund.
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