It was an area which was once a central hub and headquarters for Glasgow's crime-fighting police force.
Home to Strathclyde Police, the Pitt Street headquarters was at the heart of the force.
Demolished in 2020 to make way for a residential development the area was steeped in history.
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The former offices were built in 1934 and were previously home to Strathclyde Police, which was the country’s largest force from 1975 until the merger of the eight Scottish police forces in 2013.
However, now the area is undergoing a major transformation and work on the next Avenue project in Glasgow city centre - the Holland Street Avenue - will begin later this month.
This project, part of the £115million Avenues programme being delivered throughout the city centre, is primarily funded by the Scottish and UK Governments through the Glasgow City Region City Deal. Additional funding comes from developer contributions and Transport Scotland.
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When complete, the Avenues will be a network of new, attractive, accessible, safe, sustainable and easily-maintained routes throughout the city centre that are people-focused.
Councillor Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council and Chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, said: “The work on the Holland Street Avenue will improve the streets here, creating a more attractive environment and making it easier for people to get around, so encouraging active travel. The soon to begin construction of this Avenue complements the significant changes taking place in this part of the city centre, including the building of hundreds of new homes."
The Holland Street Avenue project’s features will include an avenue of new trees along the western footway of Holland Street and four new trees on the southern footway of West Regent Street; wider footways - surfaced with Caithness stone and granite kerbs - throughout to create a more attractive environment for pedestrians, residents and visitors; on-street parking to meet demand identified through parking surveys; a two-way segregated cycleway on Pitt Street between Sauchiehall Street and Waterloo Street; and soft landscaping incorporating drainage and raingardens - on West Regent and West George Streets - to slow the flow of surface water into the combined sewer networks.
Altogether, the Holland Street Avenue will bring over 4,000 square metres of new public realm to the city centre, with 1,035 sq m of new walkways, 550 metres of enhanced road network, 535 metres of new cycle track, 327 sq m of new green infrastructure, and 11 upgraded junctions.
Holland Street Avenue is expected to be completed in summer 2024.
Scottish Government Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “The Avenues programme is redesigning the city’s streets, including Holland Street Avenue, to make them more inviting for people while prioritising space for cyclists, pedestrians and public transport. I welcome this progress as part of the Glasgow City Region City Deal.”
While UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, said it was great news that work on Holland Street Avenue is set to begin.
He said: "This will provide businesses and residents with eco-friendly active travel and transport routes, while soft landscaping and rain gardens will improve drainage and help the city to adapt to climate change. The UK Government is investing £50m in Glasgow's most iconic streets and public spaces as part of our £523m support for the Glasgow City Region Deal, which is levelling up the region's communities."
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