Commercial property: offices with added extras

The refurbished private roof space at 58 Waterloo Street

As a result, companies are increasingly demanding more than desk space and meeting rooms from their premises.

If developers and owners want to attract quality tenants, there is now an expectation that they will provide high-end facilities and amenities for their workforce.

Outside space, games rooms, bike stores and fitness suites are all high on the list of features which attract and keep employees and the most progressive firms go much further, adding indoor skate parks and basketball courts to their offices.

Some, such as Corus Entertainment HQ in Toronto, have multi- storey tube slides for workers to move between floors.

A prime office development located in the heart of Glasgow’s business district at 58 Waterloo Street may not have its own skate park, but its recent refurbishment has created some enviable features.

The building comprises 31,068sq ft of Grade A office space over eight levels and the refurbishment was undertaken by owner Castleforge Partners (formerly Mercer Real Estate).

One of the new features is a GPS golf simulator on the basement level. It has been installed in a suite furnished with tables, seating and fridges stocked full of refreshments to entertain both staff and clients. A full Sonos wireless sound system has also been fitted.

The private roof terrace, part of the second floor accommodation, has been upgraded and now has a glazed balustrade with feature LED lighting, and is finished with artificial grass and seating.

The building has bright and efficient open plan floor plates which each extend to approximately 3,870sq ft. The offices benefit from excellent natural daylight due to their prominent corner position on Waterloo Street and West Campbell Street, which also provides excellent views of the city from the upper floors.

The building includes seven secure car park spaces, cycle racks, two ten-person passenger lifts, a striking feature entrance and unique changing and locker rooms with showers and full body dryers.

Rachael Pittaway from Castleforge Partners said: “We invested significantly in the upgrade project and are confident the high quality space coupled with our unique features, such as the roof terrace and the golf simulator, will appeal to a wide variety of occupiers.”