In the historic industrial quarter in Leeds, a vacant building that seemed destined for demolition has been transformed into a cutting-edge clinical research facility. The building is called Drapers Yard and the conversion was undertaken for Fortrea, a global leader in diagnostics and drug development. Located within walking distance of Leeds railway station, Drapers Yard is a remarkable achievement. Or as the Fortrea team says, “our ugly duckling was turned into a beautiful swan”.
The building and its history
The property is situated in a prominent position on the northwest corner of the junction of Sweet Street West and Marshall Street. The east elevation fronting Marshall Street is 266 feet (81 metres) long with the return along Sweet Street West being 174 feet (53 metres long). The site covers 0.54 hectares. The flat-roofed building is primarily two-storey, rising to three-storey around the southeast corner entrance. The building is faced in brown brick with large, rectangular, window panels.
