Premier Construction

Fitzroy Place

Fitzroy Place
Written by Roma Publications

Fitzroy Place – Award crowns 50 year construction career

Fitzroy Place

Crowning a construction career spanning half a century, a prestigious Pride in the Job Quality Award has been won by Mike Squibb, Project Manager of around 1,100 operatives working on Fitzroy Place – a major mixed use development in Fitzrovia.

Believed to be the most significant developments in the area for over 50 years and located within the City of Westminster, surrounded by the adjoining neighbourhoods of Mayfair, Soho, Marylebone and Regent’s Park, Fitzroy Place, has been constructed by Sir Robert McAlpine.

The development includes a unique collection of 235 prestigious apartments in three residential blocks, enticing stores, a restaurant, two blocks of high quality office space – and even a refurbished Grade I Listed chapel – all set round a stunning landscaped square.

“This is my first win after 50 years in the construction industry and was certainly unexpected – I was not aware that the inspectors visited the site,” said Mike Squibb, who started his career as a joiner and plumber

He added: “From a job perspective, it was a nice surprise for me – and for the rest of the site team. This is a huge team effort – you can’t ignore their contribution because you need a good team behind you to achieve the required standard.

“I’m past retirement age, but I enjoy my job. Construction can be stressful, but it is also very rewarding,” he said, adding that, apart from having the right site and sub-contractor teams, the main factors contributing to his success are good communication in understanding the client’s expectations, and ensuring site safety.

“You can’t achieve quality without ensuring high standards of safety, particularly where the project has had between around 900 and 1,300 operatives on site at different times.”

Other important considerations include working on a high profile site constantly in the public eye – and in close proximity to a junior school. Logistics is also an extremely challenging element of the scheme, given the huge volume of materials being delivered – as well as ensuring the provision of appropriate facilities for the high number of site staff.

Fitzrovia is founded on its rich cultural history and its list of former residents reads like a roll-call of London’s creativity including Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf and John Constable. Today the spirit is embodied by a thriving creative community including writers, artists, designers and filmmakers.

Fitzrovia is renowned for its beautifully proportioned homes, and Fitzroy Place continues this fine tradition with spaces defined by authentic materials and perfect details.

There are a wide variety of apartments, including one, two and three bedroom, properties, duplexes, and penthouses. All have been designed to optimise the natural light and views, and the majority have their own private outside space.

Designed by acclaimed interior architects Johnson Naylor, the apartments dovetail elegant simplicity and classical style with ultra-efficient smart home technology.

Each property is designed to an exceptionally high standard, crafted to reflect residents’ expectations of uncompromising quality and originality. Interiors are sophisticated, elegant and engaging with an emphasis on authentic natural materials and fine detailing.

The offices at One Fitzroy Place are now let in their entirety to Estée Lauder Companies, and include 140,000 sq ft of prime office space and an impressive 4,000 sq ft reception. The supremely efficient floorplates of circa 18,000 sq ft surround a spectacular atrium that includes dramatic scenic lifts.

Office spaces throughout the eight storey building offer flexible environments that can be moulded to many different working patterns with ease, including meeting spaces. A roof terrace on floors six and eight provides an opportunity for summer break-out space in the fresh air.

With its distinctive undulating roofline at the top of the building, and an inviting arcade at ground level, the seven storey Two Fitzroy Place provides 80,000 sq ft of similarly prime and efficient office floorplates of circa 13,000 sq ft, each with a terrace.

The lobby features white Arabescato marble floors, a crafted timber reception desk, brass wall finishes and carefully defined, jewel-like seating areas for waiting visitors.

Two floors have been let to Allfunds Bank S.A., leaving just over 63,000 sq ft available over five floors.

Fitzroy Place was developed by multi award-winning developers Exemplar, with the financial backing of Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc.

B & M Glazing Limited

Founded in 1987, B and M started out with the main objectives of ensuring a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable service to clients.  From initial contact, through to final installation of products, B & M Glazing pride themselves on complete consumer satisfaction.  Still a family owned company, B & M Glazing uphold the same traditions and values that have enabled them to increase and improve their services. They can assure clients of the highest standard of works, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff, along with fast production times.

It is because of these factors that B & M Glazing and Sir Robert McAlpine have enjoyed such a close working relationship on the Fitzroy Place project. By providing an excellent service and top quality products both companies have been able to deliver a high standard of glazing works on this project. Throughout the project Sir Robert McAlpine has realised the potential of glazing to provide a modern and high class finish to the apartments.

In addition to standard silvered mirrors, B & M Glazing have also provided tinted mirrors, which come in bronze or grey tints as standard.  Other tints can also be offered, if the surrounding area requires. These can be used to good effect, when trying to blend in with a colour scheme in the surrounding area. Antique mirrors can also be produced, which use oils during the silvering process, to give the appearance of aged or antique mirrors.

Back painted glass has been used in the bathrooms to give a modern and clean finish to the shower and bath wall areas. This glass has been produced with drilled holes where required, for shower fittings, so they provide a high class finish that is easily maintainable.

A variety of B & M Glazing’s products have been used throughout the Fitzroy Place project.  The company has installed mirrored products, back painted glass to bathroom areas, tinted mirrors to communal areas and glass barriers to upper floors in the Duplex apartments. Making use of the light available the mirrors and glass give the illusion of more space and light, and adding decorative aspects to every single room they are fixed in.

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Roma Publications