ABSTRACT GETS GO AHEAD AT GATWICK

Mark Glatman’s Abstract (Crawley) Limited has obtained detailed planning consent for its next highly competitive office development known as ‘The Leonardo Building’.

Abstract will commence the speculative construction of its latest Grade A office building comprising 110,000 sq ft together with over 300 plus car parking spaces in September 2014.

This news follows only eight weeks after completion of the purchase of 3.2 acres at Crawley Business Quarter in the heart of Manor Royal on June 11th. The site is the last undeveloped plot at Crawley Business Quarter just South of Gatwick Airport and opposite the offices of Virgin Atlantic and other business occupiers including Boeing, Elekta, and Doosan.

The scheme will comprise a TP Bennett design of four floors offering flexible, virtually column free, floor plates each of circa 28,000 sq ft. Completion is set for Q4 2015.

In line with all Abstract developments, the building will target a BREEAM 'Excellent' standard and an EPC B Rating together with a building design occupancy from 1 person per 6 sq m which will maximise the operational efficiency of the accommodation.

Mark Glatman, Chief Executive of Abstract Securities, said: “We are delighted to have achieved detailed planning consent so swiftly and this is very much in line with our philosophy of turning opportunity into reality as quickly as possible and providing ‘uncompromising value’ by delivering great quality Grade A office space at competitive rental levels into a market starved of supply. The Leonardo Building comes at a good time for the Gatwick office market, and, being located outside the boundary of the possible second runway, gives tenants absolute certainty about occupation whatever decisions are made about the potential extension of Gatwick.’’

Abstract’s Development Director, Christopher McPherson, said ‘’we have already had significant occupier interest in our proposal which is hardly surprising when we are delivering brand new, highly cost effective and environmentally efficient space at rental levels below that being achieved for second hand space in the locality. The accommodation has been designed to be very flexible and will appeal to a wide range of potential end users.’’

The building is one of several speculative office developments that Abstract Securities has recently undertaken across the UK.

Having completed the 100,000 sq ft ‘Renaissance’ development in Croydon in November 2013, Abstract is currently on site in Glasgow where it is speculatively building the 170,000 sq ft ‘St Vincent Plaza’ office development, due for completion in Spring 2015.

In conjunction with Aker ASA, Abstract is also currently developing 1 million sq ft offices at Aberdeen International Business Park, where the first phase of 335,000 sq ft is due to complete in February 2015.

Joint agents for Abstract are Knight Frank, Savills and Stiles Harold Williams.

For media information, please contact Lisa Mennie at Skylark PR on 07825 225 414 /

lisa@skylarkpublicrelations.com
www.theleonardobuilding.com

NEW LANDMARK BUILDING IN GLASGOW GETS ADVANCED AIR CONDITIONING SOLUTION BY TOSHIBA

A new landmark building in the heart of Glasgow, St Vincent Plaza, is being equipped with an advanced Toshiba air conditioning system to deliver outstanding energy efficiency and comfort for occupants.

Designed to have a BREEAM rating of Excellent, the 10-storey iconic office development will be cooled and heated by a Toshiba 3-pipe SHRM-i VRF air conditioning system, with full heat recovery.

The striking granite and glass-clad building, by developer Abstract Group and main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland, will provide 170,000sq ft of Grade A office accommodation with panoramic views across the city. The state-of-the-art building includes shower rooms, changing facilities and secure internet shopping storage.

The Toshiba air conditioning is being installed by Castle Building Services of Hebburn, Tyne & Wear, as part of a £5m M&E contract. The contractor is installing 21 high efficiency Toshiba SHRM-i VRF systems, plus a twin-ducted system, providing simultaneous heating and cooling.

Excess heat generated in areas of the building subject to high solar gain or internal heat sources will be harnessed for use elsewhere, or used as energy to power cooling via a sophisticated thermodynamic conversion system.

The project required a combination of long refrigerant pipe runs, high SEER and SCOP values, and exceptionally quiet indoor fan coil units. The Toshiba solution selected was able to deliver all these performance criteria in a comprehensive and competitive package.

AIR CONDITIONING

Some 316 ducted fan coil units are being installed, linked to 41 outdoor condensing modules, with the system connected into the building’s BMS using Toshiba’s recently developed Black Pear interface.

The Modbus-based interface gives the building supervisor access to each fan coil, plus access to overall system timing schedules and temperature and air speed settings, enabling continuous optimisation of energy efficiency and occupant comfort.

Castle Building Services used Toshiba’s design and selection software, which takes into account system loading, pipe runs and design temperatures for summer and winter, to determine actual cooling and heating values for each of the building’s indoor units.

Allan Carr of Castle Building Services said: “It’s a great tool and helps in the development and validation of system designs. It shows how conditions can be precisely met with the equipment selected, and provides confirmation that the installed system will deliver as specified.”

The project marks a first for the contractor with Toshiba equipment. Mr Carr says: “We had initially considered going with a different manufacturer.

However, we were introduced to the latest Toshiba range just at the right time, and were very impressed with the quality of the technology and the company’s whole approach.

He added: “They were very responsive and provided excellent technical support. It has enabled us to deliver a high performance, high efficiency solution for the client, and opened some exciting new opportunities on the installation front.”

St Vincent Plaza is due to be completed in Spring 2015.

About Toshiba Air Conditioning

Toshiba Air Conditioning is a division of Toshiba Carrier UK Ltd, company registration No 3723803. Toshiba Air Conditioning provides sustainable solutions integrating energy efficient products for residential and light commercial customers.

CGI shows : St Vincent Plaza, which is being built at 303 St Vincent St by Abstract (Glasgow) Ltd.
For media information, please contact Lisa Mennie at Skylark Public Relations Ltd on 07825 225414 or lisa@skylarkpublicrelations.com

www.stvincentplaza.com 

RENAISSANCE WINS ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD

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Abstract’s Renaissance office development in Croydon has won Sustainable Achievement of the Year at the Office Agents Society Development Awards 2014.

This award gives further credibility to Abstract’s philosophy of building efficient, low cost, yet high- quality buildings across the UK, in response to the current economic climate. Occupiers nowadays are looking for cost-effective office space, but also want the environmental credentials to be significant.

In presenting the award the judges commented: ‘This building clearly demonstrates the ability of the developer to deliver an extremely efficient and cost-effective building to the modern occupier. Securing a BREEAM Excellent 2011 rating and an EPC close to ‘A’ at a modest build cost has resulted in the letting of the majority of the building in a market otherwise generously furnished with inefficient stock’.

For further press information, please contact:

Chris McPherson
T: 020 7747 8278 christopher.mcpherson@abstractsecurities.com

www.renaissancecroydon.com
www.abstractsecurities.com 

COUNCIL LEADER GORDON MATHESON MARKS ST VINCENT PLAZA TOPPING-OUT

Abstract (Glasgow) Ltd announced that the topping-out of St Vincent Plaza, Glasgow, was completed today, 4 June 2014.

The Leader of Glasgow City Council, Gordon Matheson marked the topping-out ceremony by tightening the final bolt and adding the final shovel of concrete to complete the structure of one of the most competitive office developments in the City and in the UK, with rents at just £23 per sq ft.

St Vincent Plaza is a landmark office development, located opposite the new HQ for Scottish Power and will be one of the key elements in the next phase of Glasgow’s IFSD. Set to complete in Spring 2015, it will have an end investment value of £70m and be able to accommodate around 2,600 staff.

The ceremony featured a tour of the site where the Leader of Glasgow City Council, Gordon Matheson, met construction workers, before heading to the top floor of the 11-storey, 170,000 sq ft development, to mark the topping-out of the building.

The main contractor, Bowmer & Kirkland began construction work in November 2013 and it is now week 34 of an 89 week project. The main steel frame of the 11-storey building is complete and work has begun on the external envelope and cladding to the building that will be followed by the internal framework and fit out.

Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Today is a landmark day for St Vincent Plaza as we complete the structure of this development. It is also a notable day for the City as St Vincent Plaza is a visible sign of the confidence that investors have in Glasgow and our future economic health. I look forward to this outstanding building being a great success, and one which will bring many new jobs to the City and play a key role in Glasgow’s International Financial District.”

Mark Glatman, chief executive of Abstract Securities, said “Today is a milestone for the St Vincent Plaza development and for the City of Glasgow as a real destination of choice. St Vincent Plaza aims to attract big name corporates thus creating more local employment and growth for Glasgow. The building not only offers great value for money at a time when occupiers have to keep a very close eye on the bottom line, but low running costs and very efficient design mean that costs per workstation will be significantly less than our competitors while still maintaining an extremely comfortable working environment.”

The building will deliver an extremely high specification and will comprise a lower ground, ground and ten upper floors together with 78 car parking spaces. St Vincent Plaza will offer flexible, virtually column-free floorplates of 17,000 sq ft; a feature penthouse level office with terrace and some of the best views in the City. It has been designed to a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standard and an EPC 'B' rating and will provide the most efficient and environmentally friendly office accommodation in Glasgow.

As part of the development a new £1.2m landscaped public space that will link William Street to St Vincent Street will be built, improving access to the IFSD and all that the City Centre has to offer. Just minutes' walk from both Charing Cross and Anderston train stations, St Vincent Plaza will also offer immediate access to the M8 and to Glasgow Airport just 15 minutes away, as well as several bus routes and is within easy walking distance from Glasgow's main retail and leisure zones.

The scheme has been designed by Glasgow-based architects Keppie Design and Bowmer & Kirkland is the main contractor. CB Richard Ellis and Ryden are jointly marketing St Vincent Plaza.

Please visit www.stvincentplaza.com

Further information from Pauline@skylarkpublicrelations.com - 07833 490964 lisa@skylarkpublicrelations.com - 07825 225414

MOTT MACDONALD’S RENAISSANCE IN CROYDON

Global management, engineering and development consultancy, Mott MacDonald, have taken the entire 4th floor, comprising 20,997 sq ft, of Renaissance Croydon.

This news follows the letting of 40,241 sq ft in the building to The Board of the Pension Protection Fund last May and takes the total space let in the building since completion to over 60%.

Renaissance was completed in November 2013 by Abstract Securities who sold the office development in Dingwall Road 3 months ahead of completion, but have retained a marketing role working closely with the new owners, M&G Real Estate.

Abstract’s Development Director, Christopher McPherson, commented: “We appointed Mott MacDonald as our structural engineers on this development and we have been talking to them about committing to space in the building for some while now, so this is great news for all parties concerned. They are a major occupier in Croydon and it is a significant boost to the Borough that they are showing this long term commitment. It is a further endorsement of our decision to undertake a major speculative development here 2 years ago.

While the general South East leasing climate remains relatively patchy, the lettings to Mott MacDonald and the Pension Protection Fund show that well-designed and sensibly-priced Grade A space will let, even in a slow market, particularly where occupiers can see opportunities for efficiencies from really flexible, cost- effective space with great environmental benefits.’’

Renaissance provides 100,000 sq ft. of 'Grade A' office accommodation over 5 floors, offering flexible floor plates of 20,000 sq ft. The building is one of the first speculative builds in the UK to achieve a BREEAM (2011) Excellent standard and has been shortlisted for a number of national property awards. Two floors remain available totalling 39,390 sq ft.

Knight Frank and Sinclair Clark are retained in a letting capacity.

For more information, please contact:

Christopher McPherson
T: 020 7747 8282
E: christopher.mcpherson@abstractsecurtiies.com