Kinrise embarks on latest Leeds office makeover after £15m acquisition

Kinrise bought the freehold, 3.5 acre Trevelyan Square site in Leeds in a £15m deal last month.

The creative office specialist will refurbish 1 Trevelyan Square, a seven-storey 53,688 sq.ft building, and upgrade Ambler House, with 19,890 sq ft of office space behind a grade two-listed façade.

The Leeds office of Knight Frank advised Kinrise on the freehold purchase of the site from a private investor.

George Aberdeen, co-founder of Kinrise, said, “We are delighted to announce the comprehensive refurbishment of these properties, following on from the transformation of nearby 34 Boar Lane into a leading workspace with three restaurants.

“We are committed to upgrading and enhancing 3.5 acres of Leeds city centre, including the public space at Trevelyan Square for everyone to enjoy. Visitors and tenants will also benefit from the site’s mature trees and greenery, quite rare and much needed in Leeds city centre.”

Sam Lawson Johnston, co-founder of Kinrise, added: “Early in the pandemic we made a call that the good office is not dead, nor is the importance of the city centre and we have been on a mission to expand into high-growth work and cultural hubs.

“We are proud to have doubled the size of our property portfolio over that time. We are looking forward to the year ahead and are currently looking at further sites across cities such as Bristol and Brighton.”

Graham Foxton, a partner with Knight Frank, who handled the deal, said: “1-3 Trevelyan Square is a large and important piece of the city centre and our clients’ ambitions are clear. Kinrise has already transformed 34 Boar Lane into one of the most exciting workplaces in the city and we can expect more of the same at Trevelyan Square.”

Eamon Fox, partner and head of office agency with Knight Frank in Leeds, who will be marketing the offices, added: “Our future offices must break the mould of the past two decades. If organisations want to attract the best and keep their workforce, they need to create spaces that their staff will want to work in. Kinrise is leading the way in Leeds.”