Developers behind the £9 million rejuvenation of a city centre landmark say Swansea is on the up.They have given the city a vote of confidence and are convinced that the city centre's fortunes are about to be transformed.
Martyn Guess is director of Pearl House Swansea, the company transforming the building on the corner of Princess Way and the Kingsway.
The project will see new flats, costing from £117,500, created along with revamped shop units on the ground floor.Mr Guess said work on the scheme was progressing well and that Swansea was enjoying an investment boom.
Mr Guess said: "The reason we bought it is that we could see the potential of Swansea. I have been coming here for 10 years and I thought something was going to happen.
"With what is happening in the docks, along with all the residential and other developments, the whole place is being regenerated.
"Mr Guess believes the new-look Kingsway and the redevelopment of the former David Evans store would lift that part of the city.
He said: "With all the road works that have been going on, it has been like armageddon down there. But it will be good. That is why we bought the property, the new David Evans and the new retailers will definitely enhance the area. I think making Princess Way narrower will also make it a more intimate shopping area.
"It is a long-term investment and we have essentially created proper living accommodation out of really grotty office space.
"I think the building had lacked a bit of TLC, it had fallen into disrepair."Mr Guess said that work on the scheme was expected to be completed by August and that around half of the 42 flats had now been sold.
He said: "It is going very well. It is a little bit later than we anticipated. The new roof will be on about Easter time. The weather has been a terrible pain. We had about two inches of rain falling in one day recently and that has delayed things. The scaffolding is due to come down by Easter so people can see how the building is progressing.
"Once the scaffolding is down we can start looking at getting tenants in for the shops."Once David Evans is redeveloped, the area can only improve."
