Angus Macdonald, one of the Firmac directors, said: 'We decided to make the most of the roof because there's this wonderful flat open space, as well as a six-storey atrium with light on all sides. 'The barbecue area on one of the annexe blocks is an idea which came from Sydney. 'There's also a trim trail next to the running track, plus the games cube and a big glazed room which can be used for parties, exhibitions and so on. Then, on the annexe block at the front, the roof is all Astroturf and ideal for sitting out for picnics and whatever.
'So there's this magnificent facility on the top that people can come and use in a degree of privacy with fantastic views over Bristol. 'In addition to this space there's also a half-acre square which the whole scheme is centralised around.' It is not the first time roof space on the site has been put to good use.
A factory which stood on the site early in the last century hosted netball matches for staff on the roof. The complete scheme involves not just the Mail Marketing conversion but more flats, offices and retail units along the frontage to West Street. The shops will include a new Tesco Express store and a cafe. There will also be a sheltered housing scheme for the St Monica's Trust. Mr Macdonald said the West Street frontage should be finished by September this year and the main apartments building in the spring of next year. The St Monica's scheme is due for completion this summer. He said: 'The idea is that in less than 18 months time the whole project will be finished and that it matures quite quickly.'
The building, constructed in 1949 for the former Colodense print and packaging firm, goes down two more storeys underground to provide car parking. Fellow Firmac director Francis Firmstone said: 'We are committed to providing Bristol with top quality, designer homes at affordable prices, and are looking forward to creating a community at Airpoint where people really enjoy living.
' The scheme, designed by award-winning architects 3W and project managed by local firm Andrew Wilson Partnership, is being sold by city agents Savills and Ocean. Prices are expected to range from £115,000 to around £215,000.
Building work at the site is going on around the home of pensioner Jean Taylor. The 83-year-old has refused to move out of the house where she was born and her family has lived for more than a century, as the redevelopment scheme, worth £77 million including the shops and sheltered housing projects, takes shape around her.
News Update 2006 'HUGE INTEREST' IN THE SKYDECK"
Penthouse apartments in one of Bristol's most unusual housing developments go on sale tomorrow.The Airpoint development in Bedminster is the first of its kind for the UK as it is being developed with a running track and communal recreation facilities on the roof.
Building work is not expected to be completed until next summer but already there has been a huge amount of interest surrounding it and when the first lower level flats went on sale in April, hundreds of people queued - some for up to 17 hours - to get their hands on a flat.
Tomorrow the first 20 of the 38 top floor flats in the development will go on sale.
Airpoint is a £55 million development in West Street on the former site of the Mail Marketing building. Local developers Firmac are adding two more floors to the original late-1940s building. A rooftop garden, barbecue area, games room and a meeting space are also being provided as part of the complex.
Once complete, it will contain 255 one- and two-bedroom flats and it is expected that the vast majority of its units will be sold to buy-to-let investors, keen to cash in on what is regarded by many to be the next property hotspot in Bristol.
A rooftop garden, barbecue area, games room and a meeting space are also being provided as part of the complex. The developers expect the number of restaurants and bars nearby to rise after the flats are occupied. The top level of flats - level seven - is known as the SkyDeck. Homes there have extended views either north over central Bristol or south towards Somerset.
The one-bedroom apartments will start from £135,000 and two- bedroom apartments start from £175,000.
Sales manager Becky Dolman said: "We have had a huge amount of interest in level seven. "Out of 255 apartments, we have sold 75 per cent already - it's an incredible success."Whether we will see the queues on Saturday that we have seen previously, we will have to wait and see.
"But what is certain is that the flats go on sale at 10am and they will be sold on a first come, first served basis so if people want one, they had better be there."
One of the people who will be queuing up tomorrow morning is 42-year-old Jeremy Hunt. He currently lives in Old Market and narrowly missed out on bagging a one-bedroom flat in the previous rush. Now he is determined not to lose out again. He said: "I love the idea of being on the top floor. I have had a look round the mock-ups in the sales room and I am impressed. I really think this is going to be a beautiful building with excellent finishing in the flats.
"I love the idea of having that unique roof access and I look forward to making use of it. "Hopefully it will have a knock-on effect and will help bring the rest of Bedminster up."
The sale is taking place in the sale rooms, adjacent to the development.
Please feel free to add your own comments to the Guestbook or Forum
Memories of Bristol over the past 100 years including 3000 photographs on-line
This non commercial 'hobby' site, has been evolving and expanding on line since 2001 and is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.
