Old Exchange is ready to serve town once more
OLD council offices in Aberdare town centre are now hoping to attract local businesses after a derelict building was transformed.
The Exchange Buildings in Monk Street were sold by Rhondda Cynon Taf council to Albion Workplace Solutions in December 2014, and a project to turn the derelict building into serviced offices was announced in February this year.
The transformation has recently been completed, and the building is now being marketed for businesses to move in.
Albion Workplace Solutions’ managing director Steve Freili said there had been a delay in completing the project – initially earmarked for June 2016 – but now the building is ready to serve Aberdare town centre again.
He said: “We did have an offer for the premises after we purchased it – but that fell through. That’s why it’s taken a year to come to market.
“We have refurbished it, keeping the distinct features of the building and it’s all gone really, really well.
“Local people have taken to it – it was an eyesore close to Wetherspoons and that area of town, and it needed to be done.
“It’s now fully ready to go. We’re marketing it as available either for the first floor or ground floor, or the whole building.
“And if it doesn’t go like that there is an option to segregate the space for smaller offices of two or four people. So there are a couple of options.”
Mr Freili added that bringing the Exchange Buildings back into use would be good news for the local area.
He explained: “We hope to be part of that end of town being brought to life.
“The Bute pub is reopening and the Black Lion has recently had scaffolding on it – so that whole area of Aberdare is improving.”
The building is being marketed by Brinsons Chartered Surveyors.