The site of the former Shell petrol filling station at the top of Harcourt Street in Dublin 2 is to undergo a dramatic change over the next year when a crescent-shaped glazed office block is developed there. Estate agent Agar is seeking a rent of £50 per sq ft for the six-storey over basement car-park building, which will have 45,000 sq ft of space. It is the first time that rent level has been sought for an entire block.

In addition to the full glazed frontage, the building will have a six-storey high central atrium and 3,000 sq ft of retail space on the ground floor which will be ideal as a banking hall. Developers Paddy Shovlin and David Agar paid a £8.8 million at auction for the 12,000 sq ft site - equating to £32 million an acre. The completed block is expected to have a capital value of £45 million.