The Building Consultancy arm of Knight Frank’s Aberdeen office has been awarded a £560,000 contract to design and refurbish an ex-church building in the city into an office and meeting facility, incorporating a café and shop.

The former church at 14-20 John Street, which was used latterly as a gym, was subject to a building survey and valuation report by Knight Frank on behalf of its client, Karis Property Company Ltd. Subsequently the Building Consultancy team was awarded the contract to provide architectural design and to project manage the conversion of the building to a modern multi-purpose facility.

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The building is now undergoing a complete conversion that will include the creation of a café and shop on the ground floor, a range of seminar, meeting and consultancy rooms on the first floor and a 1,600 sq ft open plan office space at the second floor level.

The building has also been designed to be compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act, including the installation of an external access ramp and a passenger lift to all floors.

Anderson Construction has been contracted to carry out the construction works, with Knight Frank overseeing the entire project until completion.

Work is currently underway on site and is due for completion in April 2007.

Doug Garden, at Knight Frank, said: “This is an exciting project, and we are delighted to be able to breathe life back into this historic property to ensure it is once again able to serve the community in the years to come."

Once completed, the building will be occupied by a number of Church-based charitable organisations providing a range of community services including work rehabilitation and training programmes, counselling and life-skill mentoring.

(CD)