News

4 June 2009
BLOCK PARTY IS A SIGN OF NEW TIMES

The West Port area of Edinburgh is no stranger to demolition. In 1650, when an English invasion of Scotland’s capital was 
expected, houses there were flattened by order of the magistrates, so that the guns on the castle wall above it could get a better shot at the enemy below.


In 2007, as property developer and investor. Kenmore began taking down the ugly 1970s concrete tower of the former Post Office headquarters to create a new office building, the process also proved spectacular.


Masonry and scaffolding collapsed, more than 100 people were evacuated from nearby homes and businesses, and surrounding roads closed for safety reasons.


“It was not the one o’clock gun that did for the last building, but it did come down rather quicker than we had anticipated,” joked John Kennedy, chairman of Kenmore Property Group, at this week’s topping-out of the replacement. 


Gone is the dull concrete eye-sore and in its place a new 94,400 sq ft Grade-A ashlar sandstone development, Westport 102, with a very good’ BREEAM energy efficiency rating.


Roof terraces wrapped around three sides of the top floor deliver previously unseen panoramic views of the castle, Exchange financial district, and across the city.


Architects Michael Lajrd have also ensured there is the now obligatory double-height atrium, 2.75m floor-to-ceiling height, and floorplates ranging from 9000 to 15,000 sq ft. Completion of the £20m project, being built by Miller Construction, is due in October.


In many ways this is a brave and as yet unproven choice of location, just outside the current financial district, with not the most salubrious night-time clientele.


But Jeremy Scott of Michael Laird, Philip Eves, the investment director of Kenmore, and local MSP Sarah Boyack are all on script, talking of it as a catalyst for regeneration in this up-and-coming part of town.


It certainly has impact, and the building’s impressive outlook will no doubt be enough to attract one of the few remaining indigenous professional firms who have not yet left behind the traditional townhouse for an open-plan environment. It will also appeal to staff, with the popular Grassmarket bars and restaurants nearby, Princes Street a short stroll away through the gardens, and a 10-minute walk to Haymarket, 20 to Waverley. 


The first office building to pioneer Ibis location, AMA’s Evo-’ lution House, across the street from this one, won architectural awards but failed to fmd an occupier for three years and ended up being commandeered by Edinburgh College of Art as library accommodation. 


But Kenmore, the developer behind the hugely successful Sentinel office building in Glasgow, is one of Scotland’s most flourishing property companies and not known for pussyfooting about. 


It is already making confident noises about having a bit of occupier interest to keep letting agents Ryden and Jones Lang LaSalle busy. The quoting rental may be £26 per sq ft, but there will be deals to be had.


There is certainly concrete evidence that someone has been sniffing around the property. The cement floor slab of the entrance hall carries the tell-tale signs of cat paw-prints and suggests the first, four-legged, tenant has already moved in, rent-free.