On the eve of our fifth birthday, we have a very exciting announcement to make!
Sadly, it’s not one of developments at Junction Road.
Where that project stands now
Almost two years since we took on that project, it’s with a heavy heart that we have to confirm it’s no longer possible to turn that building into the co-working space we hoped for.
From the outset, we always knew it was going to be a big project. But having crunched (and re-crunched) the numbers several times over, we knew that we could de-risk it enough to make it all possible.
However, the unprecedented rising costs of materials faced by the construction sector over the last two years has meant that costs increased more than anyone could have anticipated.
it became increasingly difficult to make the numbers stack up
Our architects and the other professionals on our team were great throughout, and sought many different ways to value-engineer the project, without losing the character & functionality of the special place we were trying to create.
But unfortunately, despite everyone’s best efforts, the complexity and constraints of the site itself, and the commercial property valuations which Orkney currently holds, meant that it became increasingly difficult to make the numbers stack up for the space we wanted to create for our islands.
From the outset, we wanted to complete this project under our own steam, using a truly commercial model, rather than seeking out grant funding. This lives into the values we help our clients achieve for themselves and their businesses.
But even with these best laid plans, as things progressed, it became apparent that this wasn’t going to be possible.
The funder of last resort
After months of discussions with various funding bodies, both locally and across Scotland, the project wasn't something which qualified for any of the existing funding streams.
Having exhausted all options, we were left with one final grant funder of last resort.
Discussions were looking reasonably promising, and after hundreds of hours of work to get to this point, we were hopeful that the last bit of funding gap would be closed, and the project might finally be getting its ‘green light’.
Disappointingly though, when you’re so close to a project, it’s easy to forget that not everyone sees the benefits the same way we do, and unfortunately we received a call to confirm that, after full consideration of the application, the final decision makers were unable to provide the lifeline needed.
It was a real flattener.
There were probably things about the project which we could have articulated more clearly, and there were maybe things we could have done differently through the application process itself to help demonstrate the benefits of co-working.
However, despite all these (very valuable) learning points, whatever way we looked at it, the outcome was the same – a “no” decision, without any ability to submit an appeal, and no other grant funding options left on the table.
What’s next?
Before deciding any rash next steps, we took a few weeks to sit back, reflect on it all, and focus on our core business. A lot of time and money had gone into the project so far, and we wanted to make sure any future decisions were done wisely.
still believed that this is a space which Kirkwall will benefit from
With a growing team, we knew we’d still require a premises very soon. And we also realised that the co-working model is still really important to us, and still believed that this is a space which Kirkwall will benefit from.
So whilst we were getting on with our day-to-day project work and consultancy, we were always keeping one eye out for any other spaces that might be available.
Even with keeping an eye out though, we couldn’t have expected what was next…
A coffee with a difference
Few people know as much about finding new uses for old buildings in Orkney as Neil Stevenson. And having initially bought 42 Junction Road from him, we had always kept in touch about how the plans were progressing for our space.
Just a few weeks after the above “no” decision, we caught up over a coffee, where I hoped to get some clever insights about how else we could tackle the project.
Neil had a different idea though...
Discussion turned to the Old Library – which had recently been awarded Planning Permission to be turned into residential flats.
We were both in agreement that it would be a shame to see the oldest section of that building taken out of public use. Not only is it a beautiful space, but the intention behind that building existing in the first place (and other Carnegie libraries like it) was always that it was for public use.
Despite our plans with Junction Road, our team had always felt that the original old section of the Library was naturally one of the best suited spaces in Kirkwall to the co-working model we were looking to create. And the nearby cafes and public transport, ensures the rest of the street benefits from having a space like this in the town.
So when Neil offered us the chance to take on this building, and create our model there instead, it was an opportunity that was going to be difficult to refuse!
Of course though, with all the lessons learned from Junction Road, we needed to ensure that this project stacked up. And having done so, we can see this is now the right place for us to focus our efforts on, in the knowledge that someone else will manage to find a different purpose for 42 Junction Road.
On that basis, we’re now ready to submit our Planning Application to get approval to turn the Old Library into this new co-working space.
From Neil Stevenson - "Its an exciting new chapter for the Old Library, CRC will retain and build upon the work we did to bring the building back into use in 2017 and in the process ensure that the original part of the Old Library can continue to be accessed by the public."
Co-working at the Old Library - what it will be like?
If approved, we’ll be getting underway with the fit out of the space, to create the best possible mix of modern comforts & technology, whilst preserving the best of the traditional features.
The success of the space will be determined by the community of users within it, so we want to ensure we’re able to meet a wide range of needs.
There will be a mixture of
- open ‘hot-desk’ space
- rentable workshop/meeting areas
- private dedicated desks/rooms
- soundproofed booths for taking private phone/Zoom calls
- common areas for the all users, enabling new relationships and networking - something we all miss out on when working at home!
From simple, self-serve drop-in options - even just flexible single day-passes for the odd occasion - through to full time membership, the space will be able to cater to a whole range of freelancers, work-from-home employees, and businesses (both local, and travelling to Orkney) looking for some off-site meeting space.
Like we'd planned for Junction Road, this space isn't to be some stuffy, false-ceiling boring office space - it's a hub for new ideas, creativity, and new relationships.
Our firm will also be based in part of the space, and as more than 50% of our client base is from outside Orkney, we look forward to bringing our clients here and hosting them at the space for team development and business development workshops, whilst also creating new business-to-business/collaboration opportunities for the rest of this new (Old) Library community, through a mixture of one to one sessions, and group events.
She’s a tad chilly at the moment too though, so to ensure comfort for the community working from there, we’ll be installing a wide range of insulation, enhanced glazing, and new heating.
Oh, and super-fast internet and great coffee will be guaranteed!
A super exciting opportunity, and one we’re very grateful to be able to take on!
Exciting times for our islands
Big cities have been used to spaces like this for many years now, but it’s still something which Orkney is yet to fully benefit from.
We're accutely aware of the ongoing impact of rising costs. And the talk in the press of the UK being in a recession. Whilst this financial pressure is a very real situation; as proud Orcadians, we don't want to be seen to sit back and feel defeated.
No. Instead, we believe that Orkney and its economy deserves to keep finding ways to buck the national trend. And when you consider other upcoming local developments like Neil has planned for Bridge Street, the new Islands Growth Deal, and the ever-changing renewables sector, there’s still an awful lot to be optimistic about for our islands!
We look forward to sharing the development journey with you, and before long, sharing this beautiful space with you all!
As we said at the top - "everything happens for a reason!"
If anyone has any specific requests for the space – or even just any questions about the plans – we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to drop us a line any time!
