CBRE has announced it has been instructed to market two buildings on Glasgow’s Blythswood Square for sale on behalf of Marshall CDP.
Mackintosh House at 5 Blythswood Square and Madeleine Smith House at 6-7 Blythswood Square are available jointly for sale. Extending to almost 22,000 sq ft across both buildings, the sale represents a significant development opportunity.
Manchester-based Marshall CDP purchased the buildings in 2017 and secured planning consent for conversion to hotel use earlier this year.
Mackintosh House comprises 4,983 sq ft over four levels and was the home of The Glasgow Society of Lady Artists at the end of the 19th century. The first residential club in Scotland run by and for women, the group purchased 5 Blythswood Square in 1895 and installed a dining room, living room, bedrooms, studio space and a custom-designed gallery.
Described as ‘groundbreaking’ at that time, having bedrooms provided the ladies with a safe place to stay alone without any questions asked. In 1908, Charles Rennie Mackintosh was commissioned by The Glasgow Society of Lady Artists to design a new entrance door and redecorate the hall and stairway.
Madeleine Smith House, extending to 16,967 sq ft over four floors, is another well-known building in Glasgow. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of Madeleine Smith, an infamous 19th century socialite who once lived there and who went on trial in 1857 accused of murdering her secret lover.
Hannah Lowe from CBRE Scotland, said, “These iconic buildings are located in a highly popular area of the city which is benefitting from significant surrounding development. The sale is a major opportunity for a developer to acquire rarely available buildings both of huge historical importance. We expect to see substantial demand, likely from hotel operators and residential and office developers now the buildings are available for sale.”
