GLASGOW city centre is to gain a dramatic new 11-storey office development, close to the waterfront at the Broomielaw.
The arc-shaped building will be developed as part of Atlantic Square, a #55m scheme which, as well as the office tower, will contain: a separate low-rise office building, a 95-bedroom hotel with an underground leisure centre, shops, a cafe, and a winter gardens which will be open to the public.
Construction will start later this year with completion scheduled some 20 months later.
The site lies behind a 175,000 sq ft building currently under construction on the Broomielaw for BT.
Atlantic Square is part of the second phase of a large waterfront development, Atlantic Quay, which will total some one million sq ft of new office space, along with the BT building which was topped out yesterday.
The BT building will be ready for occupation by some 1400 staff in September of next year.
After the topping out ceremony, Mr Ed Bellhouse of developers Bellhouse & Joseph, said: ''We wanted to create a mixed use development which will serve the needs of the people working around Atlantic Quay.
''We're confident that Atlantic Square will provide the area with the shopping and leisure requirements that the district deserves.''
It is understood that the Stakis organisation is negotiating to operate the hotel and leisure centre at Atlantic Square. The company's HQ is already located in a building nearby at Atlantic Quay.
Mr Ken Campbell of letting agents Knight Frank said the office tower would provide a dramatic landmark for the city centre. Its arc-like profile will also break new ground for Glasgow offices, as will the development of public space for retail and leisure on its ground floor.
As part of the planning consent for Atlantic Square, Bellhouse & Joseph have been given permission to demolish a listed warehouse facade fronting York Street. At the other side of the site, another former warehouse facade which fronts James Watt Street will be retained as part of the hotel.
Mr Bellhouse added: ''When we first proposed developing offices at the Broomielaw 10 years ago, everybody laughed at us. They said we'd never get planning consent, but we did.
''Then they said we wouldn't build anything, but we did. Then they said we wouldn't get tenants, but we did.''
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