The striking Victorian buildings in the corner of Bradford known as Little Germany are the legacy of European textile merchants who settled in the city and built booming business empires.

The ornate buildings, used mainly as warehouses for the storage and sale of goods, sprung up in the 19th century at the peak of Bradford’s textile golden years.

Many of the city’s wool barons were from Germany, giving the area its name.

Now one of Germany’s leading property developers is taking the urban village into the future, by transforming three Victorian mills into 70 stylish, contemporary apartments.

The Grade II listed buildings – Gallon House, Hanover House and Tayson House – have been renovated by property company Garbe UK, blending original architectural features with 21st century designs.

The striking glass box-like structure on the front of Tayson House brings a modern European city feel to Little Germany. The stark chic of Tayson’s facade blends well with ornate stone carvings around the doorway of adjoining Hanover House.

“It’s a slice of Germanic chic in Little Germany,” says Leigh Tasker, sales and marketing director for Bradford-based city living specialists Smart Moves. “These splendid Victorian buildings were built to show off Bradford’s wealth; they were the showrooms of its glorious textile industry.

“With these developments you get a real feel of the history of the buildings. These are solid structures built to last, with thick stone walls, huge sash windows and stunning attention to detail. You just wouldn’t get anything built with that kind of beautiful stonework now.

“With black gloss kitchens and mosaic-tiled bathrooms, the developments offer a slick, modern interpretation of city living, fitting not just for Bradford’s market but the North at large. Room sizes are larger than average and the overall build quality is of an excellent standard – but what really sets the triumvirate apart are the cavernous ceiling heights so consistent with structures of this period.”

All three developments comprise terrace, garden and penthouse apartments. A Tayson House apartment looking out onto Chapel Street has a spacious open-plan lounge, dining-area and kitchen filled with light pouring in from ceiling-to-floor windows, and from the glass box structure, creating a pleasant balcony feel. With timber flooring, high ceilings and white walls, there’s a peaceful, serene feel to the airy rooms. The bedrooms are spacious and an en-suite bathroom has stylish mosaic tiling on the floor and walls. All apartments have modern fitted kitchens with black gloss surfaces.

At the rear of the building there’s another glass box feature, looking onto a cobbled street. With a fire escape running up a neighbouring building, this feels like proper urban loft dwelling; the kind that New Yorkers made their own decades before it became fashionable over here. All it needs is steam rising from a grate outside, a yellow cab cruising by, and the aroma of bagels toasting at a streetcorner deli, and you could be in your Greenwich Village brownstone apartment.

Garbe’s design director, Neil Pusey, says the cutting-edge architectural design incorporated into the magnificent fabric of Little Germany creates a “European model”.

“Bradford’s planning department was very fair, they wanted to keep the integrity of the existing buildings but worked hard with us to create unique solutions to each building. We think the results speak for themselves,” says Neil. “It was very important to keep historic features. Gallon House has an original fabric press in the courtyard garden of one of the ground floor flats, for example. We have exposed the wonderful roof structure in the top floor of Tayson House. We have managed to maintain almost all the historically-important features.”

Neil says an advantage of working with old buildings is the high level of workmanship, quality of materials and detail. “In particular the façade is very difficult to replicate today at any reasonable cost and as such you have something outstanding to work with before you start,” he says. “Garbe have a reputation for quality development and the Little Germany developments represent the company well. We are very proud of the results.”

Leigh describes Little Germany as Bradford’s premier address. “It’s a special place, an area of great heritage and history. It has the charm of a self-contained village, but with city centre amenities on the doorstep,” he says. “There’s a place for modern, brave architecture alongside the historic buildings here – look at how well the glass Gatehaus apartment block sits alongside the neighbouring grand Victorian buildings. A lot of modern developments will look dated in years to come, but in Little Germany there’s a sensitive balance between old and new which has preserved Bradford’s heritage. Garbe’s developments are ideal for city dwellers and, since the company is one of Germany’s foremost property developers, a poignant endorsement for the district’s European heritage.

“Little Germany has a long way to go in terms of things like infrastructure but it has great potential. It has one of the best prospects for an urban village in the UK.”

Over at Gallon House, you’re greeted in the entrance by a lovely old stone staircase with ornate wooden bannister. The spacious roof-top apartment has an attractive balcony leading off the lounge, looking out over rooftops. The sloping roof creates a cosy, homely feel, with original beams painted white, and there’s another balcony in one of two large bedrooms. Leigh says demand for Garbe’s properties is high, with a handful of properties remaining vacant. He’s confident the property market will pick up after the autumn.

“People aren’t keen to buy unless they know their income is safe but, post recession, bricks and mortar will be where the money is,” he says. “These challenging times give Bradford opportunity to look at other cities, and their successes and failures, and take that on board when developing its own regeneration. There’s a silver lining in Bradford’s cloud – it still has its prime sites available, whereas Leeds and Manchester haven’t. Some sites there have been developed poorly.

“What unites Bradford’s collection of top-notch dwellings is that they’re all sited within conversions of period masterpieces,” adds Leigh. “Being famed for its Victorian vernacular, the district’s architectural legacy has created an unsurpassed context for modern-day developers. Combining the craftsmanship and quality building materials of yesteryear with a flair for contemporary design and internal fixtures, firms such as Garbe UK and Aldersgate Estates have created highly desirable apartment living spaces, setting an impressive benchmark.”

Despite the turmoil in the housing market, other apartment schemes in Little Germany are proving popular too. Eastbrook Hall, the jewel in Little Germany’s crown, got the Royal seal of approval last year when Prince Charles visited the 73-apartment development. The former Methodist chapel has been converted by Aldersgate Estates Ltd into a £12 million complex of apartments and retail space which is in its final stages of completion.

Apartments in Gallon House, Tayson House and Hanover House are available to buy or let through Smart Moves Group. Sale prices start at £95,000 and rents are available from £400PCM. For details ring (01274) 304111 or visit smartmovesgroup.com