Middlesbrough’s Centre Square nominated for third award
A new office development which aims to revitalise Middlesbrough’s town centre has been nominated for a third award.
Centre Square has been shortlisted as Building Project of the Year in the Constructing Excellence North East Awards 2020.
Constructing Excellence North East (CENE) was due to announce the winners of 14 categories at its awards ceremony on 12 June, but that has been re-scheduled for 9 October because of the coronavirus crisis.
Last month both of Centre Square’s buildings were nominated in the inaugural Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Social Impact Awards which recognise the built environment’s “positive and transformational contribution to society”.
Centre Square was also nominated for the British Council of Offices’ best Commercial Workplace Award by the British Council for Offices (BCO).
RICS is going ahead with a digital ceremony on 1 May but the BCO has delayed its event until the Autumn.
Mark Ashall – of Ashall Projects, the developer behind Centre Square – said recognition by Constructing Excellence North East was welcome news for everybody involved in the project, especially during these difficult times.
With negotiations with potential occupiers at an advanced stage, Mr Ashall said: “We expect to be announcing more good news soon.”
He added: “The aim of the Centre Square development was to create buildings which have a stunning visual impact, but also provide a high-quality working environment that is adaptable, energy and space efficient and sustainable,” he said. “Employees are a business’ greatest asset – and that was our starting point.”
The Centre Square project was launched after the think-tank Centre for Cities concluded that Middlesbrough town centre needed Grade A offices to attract large companies offering well-paid jobs which, in turn, would have a beneficial impact on the local economy.
In July Two Centre Square, a three-storey 35,000 sq ft office building, was completed. One Centre Square followed two months later. It is bigger – 60,000 sq ft over four storeys – with a large space for a restaurant/café on the ground floor.
CENE’s criteria for its Project of the Year included evidence that best practice, innovation and technical achievement were deployed to overcome challenges. It had to achieve the lowest environmental impacts, and had to be delivered on or before the planned completion date within the approved cost plan. The project also had to demonstrate the highest health and safety standards and was of a quality that exceeded expectation.
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