A 125-year-old former church building in Hamilton has been converted into six new luxury flats for rental.
The two-bedroomed properties in the old St Andrew’s Church incorporate its unique features including its feature arch windows, stained glass, columns, archways and even its original tower stairwell.
Its conversion has already earned high praise, with the development winning the individual new build or small development category at this year’s Herald Property Awards for Scotland.
The former church, on the corner of Avon Street and Haddow Street, has been developed by the Apsis Group to create individually-designed and energy-efficient “statement” properties in the 19th-century building.
One has its own main door entrance and features including columns and feature beams – as well as incorporating the tower stairs which now open into to a double-height lounge with open-plan kitchen and a utility room.
Another takes in large feature arch windows in its open-plan living space, with double-height ceilings, mezzanines levels with bespoke alternate tread steps to provide bedroom dressing areas and even its own elevator and internal stairway.
Apsis Group director Alex Reid told how the conversion had been “a really complex construction project to reconfigure an old building, retaining as much of its character as possible” – and said: “We’ve been delighted with the response to the apartments.
“Each detail, from its striking facade with unique windows to the interior specification, had to be carefully considered to not only be aesthetically pleasing but also meet the very strict building regulations and requirements.
“We’ve been able to utilise specialised software developed by Apsis Business Components that enabled us to do this and keep a keen eye on timescales and costs; the results have been exceptional, ensuring residents enjoy a unique experience combining the old with the new.”
Now the luxury apartments are being let by Hamilton-based estate agent Residence, with potential tenants being offered a range of retained period characteristics including cornicing and architraves from the original church building within the new homes.
They form the final phase of a larger two-year redevelopment at the Hamilton site, including the construction of 15 affordable homes for West of Scotland housing association on the adjacent land at Haddow Street and John Street.
All of those properties – which incorporate solar panels, car parking, electric vehicle charging and a communal garden – are now occupied following completion last summer; with judges at the Herald property awards calling the church and site redevelopment “truly unique” and “[demonstrating] that with the right team, historic buildings can be brought back to life to serve the community”.
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