Plans have been unveiled to restore a historic former school and hospital building and create 21 new rental properties in Glasgow City Centre.
The B-listed Mount Building, which dates back to 1882 when it was built as a grand mansion, will be transformed by a build-to-rent development which is expected to be completed in around 12 months.
Originally established as Glasgow's first Hospital for Sick Children, the Mount Building held a key role in the city’s healthcare infrastructure until 1914, when the hospital moved to Yorkhill.
The building then became part of St Aloysius’ College, housing its Music and Art department.
It was one of several owned by the private school in the city centre location of Garnethill.
The original school campus of St Aloysius' College was on Charlotte Street in Bridgeton in the north east of Glasgow before moving to the current complex, of which the Mount Building was a part, in Garnethill in 1866.
The school did not become fully independent until the 1970s, and began accepting female pupils in 1979.
Nowadays, the private Catholic school also owns the Convent of Mercy on Hill Street in Garnethill, a convent established in the 1860s which St Aloysius' bought in 2009. A few laters later a new kindergarten was built behind it.
Another historic Glasgow building owned by the school is the Clavius Building on Hill Street and houses 25 specialist classrooms.
It also opened a state-of-the-art sports facility designed by Glasgow firm Burnett Bell to the tune of £8 million in 2017, spanning three floors.
St Aloysius' Church is not owned by the College, an Italian Renaissance building featuring marble and Venetian mosaics and stained glass cupola.
Developer Nevis Properties acquired the Mount Building from the school in October. The firm have partnered with architects Mosaic Architecture & Design and say they plan a “sensitive” restoration which will ensure the historic structure’s rich heritage is preserved.
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The plans will see 18 one and two bedroom apartments – five of which will feature private terraces – created, alongside a trio of new three-bedroom mews houses.
Residents will also have access to carefully planned landscaped areas, designed to foster a sense of community and well-being.
Marc Taylor, Nevis Properties’ director, said: “Our ambitious plans to repurpose the Mount Building are testament to our dedication to transform vacant spaces into sustainable urban living areas, occupied by vibrant communities – all while preserving Glasgow’s architectural heritage through sensitive restoration wherever possible and appropriate.
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“This project aligns with Glasgow City Council's vision. We are excited to further contribute to the city's growth and offer a distinctive, high-quality living experience in this historically significant building.
“Given the exceptional demand for rental properties in Glasgow, and increased appetite for city centre living, we expect this development to be extremely popular among renters."
Nevis Properties aims to commence construction in the summer of 2024 and complete the development by summer 2025.
Dan Challis, an associate at Mosaic Architecture & Design, added: “We have worked with the existing building layouts to ensure that any alterations being made will minimise their impact on the existing structure thus safeguarding the building's historic integrity.
“Furthermore, extensive research has been carried out on the city's traditional Mews style buildings to provide a design for the new build homes that is in keeping with the city's historical language.”
Build-to-rent property is an emerging market which is quickly becoming established in UK housing, in which homes are built specifically for rent, rather than to be sold.
The sector is predicted to double in total value over the next five years to be worth £126 billion by 2028 according to real estate experts Knight Frank.
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