WORK is under way on a £25 million project to transform City of York Council’s former headquarters into a residential crescent.

The Grade II listed St Leonard’s Place, in Museum Street, has stood empty since 2013 when the council departed for West Offices.

The building, which was built in 1831 as nine town houses, will now become five town houses and 29 apartments after being purchased by developer Rushbond.

Plans have also been approved to create a mix of six conversion and new-build mews properties at the rear of the main crescent.

Following planning approval being granted in January this year, Rushbond has now announced it has appointed Hull-based Hall Construction to carry out construction.

Mark Finch, director of real estate at Rushbond, said: “Our plans are to restore and transform St Leonard’s Place once again back into one of the North’s most prestigious addresses.

“The street was built in the 1830s to effectively replicate what was being achieved in London at that time, and it’s a great privilege to have the opportunity to return the crescent back to its original use.

“We have worked closely with a whole host of local people to ensure that these most-cherished buildings will be restored to their former glory.

“We have been so pleased with the support we have received from various quarters so far, and we very much look forward to playing our part in reinstating the pride back into these important assets.”

Rushbond had previously secured planning permission to turn the building into an 88-bedroom hotel, but abandoned the plans after the proposed operator pulled out of the deal.

The developer has since said it aims to transform St Leonard’s Place into a “stunning, high-quality residential development”, on a par with the Royal Crescent in Bath and Grosvenor Square in London’s Belgravia.

Simon North, group operations director of Hall Construction, which is a family-run firm dating back more than 130 years, said: “Our firm is the legacy of previous generations of contractors, founded in the 19th century.

“It is an absolute privilege to be working on restoring a building from that era and our team are very enthusiastic about applying their skills to deliver a wonderful array of residential properties for the benefit of future generations.

“We envisage that more than 100 people will be employed across the site, and through our local supply chain, we are hoping to create some significant economic benefits for the city.”

Mr Finch described the development of St Leonard’s Place, alongside the restoration of the Theatre Royal, the new work at the York Art Gallery and the recently completed York Explore Library, as representing a “huge commitment to the architectural and historic legacy of this part of the city”.

He added: “It is truly a transformation programme brought about by the energies of a whole host of people, and we are pleased that we are able to play our part in this renaissance.”

Tanya Coffey, of Savills, York, the firm which has been appointed as marketing agents for the development, said: “St Leonard’s Place brought a style of living to the North in the 19th century that had previously only been reserved for London.

“It is an incredibly exciting prospect to once again offer a variety of new homes of this stature to the market and for local, regional, national and indeed international buyers to have a chance of being part of something very special.”