Located within the heart of London, 63 St Mary Axe is a ten-storey building comprising office spaces and retail units.
The development covers an area of approximately 80,000 sq ft which is divided between two basement levels, a ground floor and six upper levels.
At present, 63 St Mary Axe is undergoing an estimated £15 million office redevelopment project to provide a contemporary and stylish building with universal appeal. John Sisk & Sons is the main contractor on the project, whilst ESA is the architect, Meinhardt UK is the services and structural engineer and Gleeds Cost Management Ltd is the quantity surveyor.
The project is being financed by Rockspring, who acquired the building from previous owners Threadneedle and is being developed in conjunction with Moorevale.
63 St Mary Axe is just three minutes walk from Liverpool Street Station and is conveniently situated close to numerous bars and restaurants, such as Rhodes 24, The Drift and Gaucho City. The building was originally constructed in 1989 for Eagle Star before being reconstructed in 1992.
The asset provides flexible office space – with typical floorplates of c.10,000 sq ft – across the six upper levels, whilst the retail units are housed within the ground level.
The building has been designed to achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and as the development is located in Central London all efforts are being made to ensure that disruption to nearby residents is kept to a minimum.
The development will include the creation and extension of two new upper floors. Once work is complete on the project, the newly refurbished building will boast a bright, new entrance hall – complete with a glazed circle-slider door, a leather feature wall and modern furniture – new areas of curtain walling; a new external horizontal glass louvre system; and improved lighting.
In addition, new CCTV systems will be installed, floors will benefit from new finishes, and heat, ventilation, security and electrical systems will be improved. A central refuse store will also be provided at ground level and space will be provided for cyclists.
An entire new feature staircase, located within the office entrance will provide access to all upper levels. The staircase will comprise a steel frame with glass treads and glass balustrades.
Many of the new mechanical and electrical systems within the building have been designed to achieve a lifespan of 15 – 20 years.
John Sisk & Son Regional Director, Peter Glass, said:
“Our strategy for 63 St Mary Axe is to ensure the earliest delivery of the project, focusing our solutions on increasing their potential to maximise rental revenue.
“We have extensive experience working on large commercial spaces in demanding city locations.”
Moorevale Director, Charlie Bishop, said:
“This asset is located in a sought after location in the City of London and on completion of the rejuvenation works will provide premium office space.
“We were impressed by John Sisk & Sons’ innovative approach to the base design, and with a proven track record of delivering quality commercial projects on a tight timescale, we are confident the solutions they offer will add value to the investment.”
The refurbishment of St Mary Axe is scheduled to reach completion in 2013.
