A VACANT office building in Belfast could help meet the growing demand for student housing in the city.
The Marshall Building on Donegall Steet beside the Ulster University's Belfast campus is now on the market with offers invited in the region of £425,000 for the 8,724 sq ft premises.
The building, opposite the Irish News, is arranged to provide a self-contained ground floor retail unit, with overriding office accommodation over three upper floors, which subject to planning approval, could be available for a wide variety of uses including residential and student housing.
Occupiers in the area include Ulster University, the Merchant Hotel, the Duke of York, Clanmill Housing Association and the Premier Inn hotel.
Director of CBRE Lisa McAteer said she was anticipating "significant interest" in the property.
“Properties within this vicinity have been attracting a high level of interest due to ongoing redevelopment and regeneration. We are anticipating significant interest in these properties, and it will be very exciting to see the attention the area will attract.”
The new office opportunity comes as work continues on the new Ulster University, due for completion in 2019. The £250million investment will increase the campus to 75,000 sq m and will welcome up to 15,000 students and staff, creating 8,000 jobs in total.
“Within the next five years this area will be unrecognisable given the major investment in Royal Exchange as well as the completion of the Ulster University campus and the former Belfast Telegraph building," Ms McAteer added.
