ONE of a Scottish city’s most famous buildings has just been bought over.
The City of Glasgow College building has been acquired by Osborne & Co and joint venture partners, Scotsbridge Holdings
Known as the Met Tower, the building became an icon for the city during the 2014 Commonwealth Games featuring the familiar “People Make Glasgow” brand.
The two companies have acquired the buildings at 60 North Hanover Street – City Campus on Cathedral Street and Riverside Campus overlooking the banks of the River Clyde.
Formerly the College of Building and Printing, Osborne plans to extensively refurbish the current B-listed tower to deliver flexible de-furbished Grade A office space with flats on Cathedral Street.
The development is expected to generate hundreds of jobs for the construction industry and, once complete, accommodate up to 1200 employees.
Will Hean, development director at Osborne & Co, said the Glasgow market lacks flexible office space.
He added: “This acquisition will allow us to capitalise on Glasgow’s current supply demand imbalance, with the market currently characterised by a dearth of flexible Grade A office space and significant pent-up occupier demand.
“We are very excited by this opportunity and look forward to refurbishing such an iconic building within central Glasgow and continuing Osborne’s investment into the city.
“We will work with the council, Historic Environment Scotland and the wider city community to deliver a refurbishment that the city will be proud of and which will attract major inward investment.”
Fares Samara, vice principal of infrastructure at City of Glasgow College, said she was excited to see the former college buildings given a “new lease of life”.
She added: “We’re delighted that our super campus strategy continues to positively deliver for Glasgow.
“Our much loved former college buildings on North Hanover Street are iconic in the city.
“We look forward to seeing the sympathetic restoration bringing them a new lease of life and the improvements the change will bring for both the local community and those visiting our city.
“Osborne & Co’s ambitious
plans are very impressive and importantly the new development will also result in the creation of jobs which are vital to the local and national economy.”
The developer is also behind a 283,000 sq ft office scheme on Argyle Street, which represents a £95 million investment to revitalise a site that has lain vacant for 20 years.
Osborne & Co has appointed Cooper Cromar, a Glasgow-based architect, alongside planning consultants Savills to advance the refurbishment project.
A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) has been submitted to Glasgow City Council for the proposed mixed use development.
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