University to buy former fire service headquarters
The University of Edinburgh has been confirmed as the preferred bidder for the former Scottish Fire and Rescue Service headquarters at Lauriston Place, Edinburgh.
The University secured the building following an open market sale process. Upon completion of contracts it is anticipated that the University will take possession at the beginning of 2017.
The building will undergo a sympathetic refurbishment, sensitive to its past use and heritage, before forming part of Edinburgh College of Art’s ambitious plans to transform the area into a hub for arts and culture.
The acquisition of the important heritage site will extend further the College of Art’s presence in the locality which extends back over a century.
The Edinburgh Museum of Fire, currently located at Lauriston, will subsequently move to a new purpose-built location within the City of Edinburgh. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has committed to funding the restoration and curation of the artefacts in preparation for the move to their new home.
We are very pleased to have been selected as the preferred bidder and look forward to breathing new life into this iconic building. We will now begin the process of planning for a sympathetic refurbishment that can fulfil its potential as part of a world class College of Art, of which the City of Edinburgh can be justifiably proud.