Revitalizing Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street with Innovative Housing Development.
Glasgow’s iconic Sauchiehall Street is set to be transformed with an innovative housing development plan that breathes new life into a long-neglected site. Consensus Capital Group, an Edinburgh-based firm, has proposed a revised plan featuring 73 contemporary co-living apartments, a reduction from the initial 87 units.
The updated proposal involves replacing the original 13-storey building with a nine-storey structure on Sauchiehall Street and increasing the size of the Renfrew Street building from two to seven storeys. The revised plans are a result of ongoing collaboration with the council’s planning department, addressing concerns raised in previous objections.
The redevelopment project aims to revitalize the derelict site, which has a rich history as a piano workshop, cinema, and nightclub. By offering a mix of modern studios and one-bedroom apartments, the development will cater to the growing demand for city-center living. The ground floor will also feature a commercial unit, adding to the area’s diverse offerings.
As part of the restoration, the B-listed façades of 520 Sauchiehall Street and 341 Renfrew Street will be preserved, retaining the area’s historic charm. The development supports Glasgow City Council’s objectives to boost the city center’s population and rejuvenate Sauchiehall Street’s vibrancy.
The new residential and commercial spaces will contribute to the area’s prosperity and resilience, fostering a dynamic and sustainable urban environment. The project also highlights the integration of existing façades into the development, creating distinctive entrance portals that enhance the character of the new buildings.
To avoid an imposing presence, the building is designed to recede from the street at the sixth-floor level. The car-free development promotes eco-friendly living with 93 bicycle parking spaces and a rooftop terrace on the eighth floor for residents to enjoy.
Once home to a piano shop in the late 19th century, the site was later converted into a cinema in 1912 and subsequently served as a bar and club until the mid-1980s. After being vacant for at least a decade, this ambitious redevelopment plan promises to transform the historic site into a thriving urban hub.
It has been empty for “at least 10 years” and on the ‘buildings at risk’ register since June 2014. A bust of Beethoven, on the Renfrew Street entrance, was vandalised and removed in 2019, but could be reinstated under the plan.
This plan is set to create 73 new homes in Glasgow.
