Piccadilly Gardens

“The revitalised Gardens would be delivered in time for the Commonwealth Games”

The top photo shows the view towards Piccadilly Gardens in early 2002 during the extensive renovation of the 10 acre site (by the late 1990s the gardens had lapsed into a state of disrepair and notoriety and had become a place to avoid - in four years at University Euan didn’t set foot in the Gardens once!)

The revitalised Gardens would be delivered in time for the Commonwealth Games, opening to the public in May 2002. The office building One Piccadilly Gardens - under construction in this photo - was designed by Allies and Morrison and delivered by Argent LLP. The building was completed in early 2004 and King Sturge were the first tenants in January 2005. This was followed in September 2002 by the Bank of New York who leased 91,000 sqft of office space: one of the most important and high-profile lettings in the city during the decade.

The bottom photo is from September 2024, not long after a section of wall and canopy roof constructed in 2002 had been demolished, opening up the southern boundary of the Gardens.

In the background is Select Property’s 33 storey One Port Street which is being constructed by RENAKER.