Leonardo Building fire: What iconic property was originally used for, plans for its future and why it’s of historic interest

The iconic Leonardo Building was badly damaged by fire on Saturday night (October 16). The blaze broke out on three floors of the derelict structure at around 7.45pm, with fire, police and paramedics sent to the scene.

By Sunday morning , the firefighting effort had been ‘scaled down’, according to the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), with investigations into the cause set to begin. Earlier, a spokesperson said: “ Fire investigation will start from 9am, so we will probably be on site for the rest of the day.”

So what is the history of the Cookridge Street building - and what was it set to become?

What is the Leonardo Building in Leeds?

The four-storey structure is Grade II listed, meaning it is of special architectural or historic interest. It has had various uses over the years including schools, printworks, a teaching college, and most recently as council offices.

The red-brick building was built around 1900 and was first listed in 1994, recognised for its ornamental exterior, including the brick pilasters, moulded sills and cornices. The angled entrance, featuring panelled double doors and fanlight, fluted pilasters, is also singled out, as well as a scrolled wrought-iron balcony to the second-floor French window.

It is of similar date and style to the clothing mill, at 91 Great George Street. A Directory entry for 1897 indicates that the printing firm of Sparks and Son was on or near this site, before a 1905 record designates the premises as being of Chorley and Pickersgill, indicating that these were the offices to the printing works.

Renovation works at Leed’s Leonardo Building

Last year, the Leonardo Building got the go-ahead for a £62m redevelopment to be turned into student accommodation. Owned by the Leeds City Council, the buildings had been variously used as schools, printworks, a teaching college and as council offices, before becoming vacant.

The plan, to create a 473-bed student accommodation, could see students living within 10 minutes’ walk of The University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett and Leeds Teaching Hospital. Martin Farrington, Leeds City Council’s director of city development, said at the time: “It is really positive to see McLaren Property’s sensitive reuse of the council’s Leonardo and Thoresby buildings as new accommodation for students.”

Construction was due to be completed by August 2023 in time for the 2023/2024 academic year.