The impact on Aberdeen City Centre of work by City Restoration Project was celebrated with a special award, sponsored by Our Union Street, at this year's Northern Star Business Awards.
The Archibald Simpson Award is a new addition to the ceremony and is part of the Chamber's efforts to shout as loudly as possible about the great businesses which are bringing sparkle back to our granite mile.
The award was named after the city's most famous architect, and the winner is a business which he would have loved to work with.
City Restoration Project - led by brothers Dean and Darren Gowans - have been reimaging and reviving historic city centre buildings to create one of a kind, beautiful and distinctive homes.
They see Union Street differently – not as a shadow of its former self, but as a mile of opportunity.
Impressive developments at 139 and 148 Union Street have set them apart from other developers, and set the bar for quality restoration.
Since then, they have completed a unique development on Crown Street, and their next project will see them convert some of Archibald Simpson's finest work, on Bon-Accord Crescent, back in to residential homes.
Archibald Simpson was the visionary who created some of our most beautiful buildings. These guys are worthy custodians of that legacy.
About the sponsor
Following an emergency summit in November, the Chamber – alongside Aberdeen Inspired – has been at the heart of setting up a new body the lead efforts to regenerate Union Street.
Our Union Street has got off to a great start, with over 1,000 volunteers and 10,000 ideas submitted from the public.
People care about the state of Union Street; they care that many retail units sit empty and uninviting, they care about graffiti, litter, dirty buildings, weeds growing on balconies and the general upkeep of the street.
They want Union Street to be a safe, busy, energetic, thriving centre that compares favourably with the best of UK’s small cities.
And they want somebody to take responsibility for addressing these challenges and improving the street; a consistent, concerted effort with plans, actions and progress.
To date, there has been no single body that has the remit to take on these challenges and opportunities. That’s what the brand-new organisation is for.