ABSTRACT LAUNCHES ST VINCENT PLAZA, GLASGOW

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Abstract (Glasgow) Ltd today (18 June) launches St Vincent Plaza in Glasgow, one of the UK's largest and most cost-effective speculative office developments. 

Today's launch is marked with a unique photography exhibition entitled 'The team that built St Vincent Plaza'; a striking series of portraits of the men and women involved in designing, building and project managing the scheme, as well as a fascinating collection of detail images from throughout the building. The photographs are by Glasgow photographer, Iain McLean.

St Vincent Plaza is a landmark development, located on St Vincent Street within the International Financial Services District (IFSD) and opposite the new HQ for Scottish Power. Set for a shell and core completion on 29 June 2015 with the handover of a ‘Category A’ fit-out in September, it will have an end investment value of £75m and be able to accommodate up to 2,600 staff. Rents from just £23 per sq. ft. are significantly lower than standard headline rents in the City, making St Vincent Plaza considerably more cost-effective than other Glasgow 'Grade A' schemes, both in terms of rent and occupational costs.

Mark Glatman, Chief Executive of Abstract, said: “Today's launch of St Vincent Plaza marks our completion, on time and to budget, of our first development in Glasgow, which is also one of the largest and most cost-effective in the UK. Our scheme represents a superb opportunity for occupiers - whether local or from further afield - to take space in the City at rents from only £23 per sq. ft. in London-quality space, as our competitors' rents are significantly higher and the Glasgow pipeline is fast diminishing. 

“To launch St Vincent Plaza we not only wanted to showcase the building itself, which is built to an exceptional specification, but to recognise the men and women who have worked tirelessly to create this scheme. The many teams involved are represented throughout the series of portraits, which is an unusual opportunity to look beneath the skin of a building and at the people who are behind it. We are proud to have built St Vincent Plaza in Glasgow, which is a thriving and hard-working city, and to have worked alongside the teams and companies that are represented by this exhibition.”

St Vincent Plaza delivers an extremely high specification and comprises a lower ground, ground and ten upper floors of office space together with 78 car parking spaces. The building offers flexible, virtually column-free floorplates of 17,000 sq ft; a feature penthouse office level 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 provides some of the most efficient and environmentally friendly office accommodation in Glasgow.

In addition, Abstract is creating a new £1.2m landscaped public space that will link William Street to St Vincent Street, 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 Keppie Design. Bowmer & Kirkland is the main contractor. CBRE and Ryden are jointly marketing St Vincent Plaza.

Photograph shows: St Vincent Plaza Please visit www.stvincentplaza.com 

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

TALKTALK AND HOME OFFICE TAKE HUGE SPACE AT SALFORD'S SOAPWORKS

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TalkTalk and the Home Office have pre-let a total of 160,000 sq ft of office space at The Carlyle Group’s £70m Soapworks development in Salford Quays.

The broadband provider has agreed to take 106,000 sq ft on a 15-year lease, which is the largest office pre-let in Great Manchester this year, and the second-largest deal in the Salford Quays area since the BBC announced its relocation to Media City UK in 2007.

ABSTRACT WINS AWARD FOR BEST DEAL OUTSIDE CENTRAL LONDON FOR ITS ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PARK DEVELOPMENT

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Abstract achieved further recognition for its Aberdeen International Business Park development at the recent OAS Development Awards. The OAS Awards are the only event awarded by agents which recognises excellence in office development, sustainability and transactions across the wider UK, City of London and West End markets.

Abstract entered the Aberdeen International Business Park as the Best Deal Outside Central London achieving a Highly Commended status for the submission.

VIRGIN ATLANTIC CHOOSES NEW HEAD OFFICE

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Airline giant Virgin Atlantic has signed a deal to lease the whole of Abstract’s 110,000 sq ft Leonardo development in Manor Royal, just south of Gatwick Airport.

The deal - one of the biggest in the South East office market this year - follows Virgin Atlantic’s return to profit in 2014 and represents a major letting coup for Abstract, which only started building the speculative office scheme in late 2014.

ABSTRACT FLIES WITH VIRGIN ATLANTIC

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Virgin Atlantic has entered into an agreement for lease to occupy the whole of Abstract’s Leonardo development in Manor Royal, just south of Gatwick Airport.

The move follows Virgin Atlantic’s return to profit in 2014 and represents a major letting coup for Abstract who only started their speculative 110,545 sq ft Grade A office scheme late in 2014.

It is intended that Virgin Atlantic will relocate to the new building from its existing Head Office in Crawley Business Quarter during 2016. This building will provide complementary functions to the airline’s other building, The Base, in Fleming Way, which it will continue to occupy/own

Leonardo is due to complete at the end of 2015. Abstract will work with Virgin Atlantic to complete a bespoke fit out during early 2016 prior to occupation and the airline will take a 16.5 year term from 1 April 2016.

Mark Glatman, Chief Executive of Abstract, commented; “We are delighted that Virgin Atlantic have committed to our most recent scheme and this letting reflects our totally occupier focused approach to office development where we continue to deliver great quality Grade A space from a user perspective.

“We are confident that this building will be a great asset to the Virgin brand and will be a brilliant place to work at a time when the airline is going from strength to strength.

“It is the occupiers who we work with who remain our principal focus and who are absolutely critical to the success of all our developments throughout the UK. The fact that Virgin Atlantic can relocate into such an efficient building delivering a significant reduction in property costs underlines what we at Abstract are looking to deliver.”

Abstract has been one of the most active office developers in the UK over the last 3 years delivering close to a million sq ft of new Grade A office space in Croydon, Aberdeen, Glasgow and the Leonardo Scheme near Gatwick.

Phil Maher, Virgin Atlantic’s Executive Vice President, Operations, said:

“We are excited to announce that we have chosen the Leonardo development as our new Head Office building. We will be working with Abstract on the building design so it truly embodies Virgin Atlantic. Harnessing the latest technology will give us the opportunity to create a dynamic and flexible workspace fostering collaboration and creativity. The Leonardo building is being built to excellent standards with superior heating, cooling and lighting systems to bring the best working experience to our support teams.”

Christopher McPherson, Abstract's Development Director said, “It has been a delight to work with the whole Virgin Atlantic team in this process, and both our organisations are completely aligned in our focus on customer satisfaction and delivery. We build great quality and highly efficient space with excellent environmental credentials which leads to much lower running costs against older offices, as evidenced by the success of our recently completed developments as well as our 170,000 sq ft. St Vincent Plaza scheme which is on track to complete this Summer and where interest levels are very strong.”

The Leonardo Building is arranged over four floors each of around 28,000 sq ft on a site of 3 acres. Quoting rent is £23 per sq ft.

Joint agents for The Leonardo Building are Knight Frank, Savills and Stiles Harold Williams. Savills has been retained to sell the resultant investment.

For more information visit www.theleonardobuilding.com CGI shows: The Leonardo Building, Crawley

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For media information, please contact Pauline Gregory on
07833 490964 / pauline@skylarkpublicrelations.com or Lisa Mennie 07825 225 414 / lisa@skylarkpublicrelations.com 

Joanne.foster1@fly.virgin.com or 01293 747373