Opal Tower (officially known as Opal 3, Leeds) is a 25-storey building in
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exis ...
,
England.
It serves as student accommodation for 542 students, and is close to the City campus of
Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Beckett University (LBU), formerly known as Leeds Metropolitan University (LMU) and before that as Leeds Polytechnic, is a public university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has campuses in the city centre and Headingley. The unive ...
and the
University of Leeds
, mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased
, established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds
, t ...
.
Construction
The initial planning application for this site (previously occupied by the Londoner
pub
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...
) on Jacob St,
Leeds city centre, was submitted in July 2005, for a 23-storey student apartment block. This design was later altered after initial approval and permission was granted in December 2006 to build the current 25 storey tower.
Construction work began in early 2007 with an expected completion date of September 2008. The building was designed by
Morrison Design and was developed by
Opal Property Group, with the site contractor being
Ocon Construction. Construction was completed on time, with the development opening to its student tenants between the 15th and 20th. The development is the
third tallest building in Leeds, after
Bridgewater Place and
The Plaza Tower which took Opal 3's title approximately a year after its completion.
Accommodation
Opal 3 features cluster flats for up to 6 students, with single en-suite rooms being the bulk of accommodation, complemented by deluxe rooms (which have a double bed), and a small number of studio flats on the higher floors.
See also
*
List of tallest buildings and structures in Leeds
*
Architecture of Leeds
External links
Article on Skyscraper NewsOpal 3 on the Opal Property Group Website
{{City of Leeds
Buildings and structures in Leeds
Residential buildings completed in 2008
Skyscrapers in Leeds
Residential skyscrapers in England