The comprehensive refurbishment of the Grade II* St Paul’s House in central Leeds has been completed, providing some of the very best Grade A office space in the city.
The beautiful 19th century building, which overlooks the magnificent Park Square and is one of the jewels in the city’s crown, has undergone a radical £3.5m overhaul.
Elizabeth Ridler, office agency partner at the Leeds office of Knight Frank, commented: “St Paul’s House, built in the Venetian style, is a much-loved Leeds landmark. Now the refurbishment is complete, it is a magnificent mixture of the old and the new.
“This significant investment has created high-quality Grade A office specification internally which, when combined with the stunning exterior façade and its unrivalled location with gorgeous views over the green space of Park Square, offers one of the most attractive working environments in Leeds.
“In addition to the newly refurbished contemporary reception and toilets, the existing occupiers are now enjoying the brand-new end-of-journey offering that includes for club class showers, high quality changing area with heated lockers and cycle storage.
“There is currently strong interest in the 10,739 sq ft first floor which has been completed at the perfect time, as there is a shortage of immediately available Grade A space on a single floor in the prime Leeds commercial core.
“There is one highly specified fitted plug and play suite of 2,471 sq ft available on the second floor with the opportunity to tailor make a fitted suite of 2,223 sq ft on the third floor respectively,” said Ms Ridler.
“The landlord is delivering what occupiers want in the form of fitted suites which have been delivered to a very high standard. It’s important to note that 26% of all lettings in Q3 this year were in fitted suites, and we expect this trend to continue as it helps to remove the stress from an office move.”
Elizabeth added: “The hi-spec refurbishment, designed by interior design studio Incognito, is very contemporary with exposed services in a listed building and looks superb.”
Howard Powsney, director at Incognito, said: "Our goal with the refurbishment was to elevate St Paul’s House to meet the expectations of today’s occupiers, while respecting its architectural heritage. The result is a workplace that seamlessly blends historic character with modern, high-quality space—delivering immediate value for tenants. The fitted suite, in particular, showcases a thoughtful approach to plug-and-play design, offering a level of finish and functionality that stands out in the market."
High-calibre and long-standing occupiers in the building, which is owned by global property investors EPIC UK, include law firm DAC Beachcroft, real estate agency Cushman and Wakefield and accountants Sedulo.
Leigh Perl of EPIC UK explained: “At the heart of the refurbishment and, indeed everything we do at St Paul’s House, is the integrity of the building. It is one of the most distinctive, light, airy and iconic buildings in Leeds and we have honoured that.
“At the same time it was important that we created some of the most hi-tech and sustainable Grade A office space in the city, underpinned by a commitment to ESG, and that is what we have done with substantial upgrades to the reception, first and second floors, to end-of journey facilities, and to the exterior of the building, which has been thoroughly cleaned.
“In particular, we are now fully connected with the Leeds PIPES network, which provides homes, businesses, and public buildings with heat and hot water that is affordable, reliable and low carbon.”
Elizabeth Ridler concluded: “This elegant building, with its Moorish façade, is full of history. But with a comprehensive concierge service and superb offices both serviced and spacious, it is ideally suited to the needs of contemporary occupiers.
“What’s more, the combination of the aesthetics of the building, the large floorplates and high-quality facilities and the views across the loveliest green spaces in the city centre, provide a feel-good working environment which is so beneficial for positive mental health.”
Apart from Knight Frank, the professional team who worked on the refurbishment of St Paul’s House was Project Manager Mike Robinson of In4M, designer Incognito, fit out contractor Flexible Business Interiors and M&E Smith Consultancy.
St Paul's House, which was built in 1878, was originally constructed as a warehouse and cloth-cutting works for Sir John Barran, the founder of the mass-production, ready-made clothing industry in Leeds. The architect was Thomas Ambler.
