A major milestone in the redevelopment of a city centre office building in Southampton – set to become the most sustainable of its kind in the region – has been reached.
The fourth floor of Twenty3 Brunswick Place, with additional office space and a private roof terrace, has been added as part of a multi-million pound investment.
Officials from Southampton City Council and Hampshire County Council were among guests attending the topping-out ceremony following completion of the highest point of the building.
Twenty3 Brunswick Place, currently being reconfigured and refurbished to the most efficient Grade A standards, will keep running costs low for occupiers and help meet corporate and social responsibility goals.
Property consultancies Vail Williams and CBRE have been appointed by the landlord, Fidelity UK Real Estate Fund, a fund operated by Fidelity International, one of the UK’s largest investment managers, to jointly market the premises.
Flexible floorplates are available to let from 12,077 sq ft to 64,422 sq ft.
Set to deliver a BREEAM Excellent rating, with lower emissions due to an excellent energy performance, Twenty3 is on track to open its doors in by the end of 2021.
Russell Mogridge, lead partner in the Office & Industrial agency team at Vail Williams, said: “These iconic offices in Southampton’s flourishing business district are already generating enquiries from discerning companies looking for high-quality office space with the greenest credentials currently possible.
“Employees not only expect Grade A work spaces but ones where the carbon footprint is lower – we are seeing a ‘flight to quality’ as employers coax their staff out of their homes and back to the office, encouraging collaboration and team work.
“Given the additional floorplate, and the focus on BREEAM Excellent certification, Twenty3 is likely to serve as a template for improved asset performance as Britain maps out a net zero carbon future.”
Emma Lockey, Agency & Transaction Advisory Director at CBRE, said: “Office take-up in Southampton is at a 10-year high because there simply isn’t enough high-quality stock available. To date, Twenty3 is the only BREEAM Excellent office building in the port city and wider region, hence the appeal.”
Interior work at Twenty3 includes the installation of highly efficient cooling and heating systems, along with electric vehicle charging points in the basement car park, cycle storage and shower/changing facilities.
Fit-out and refurbishment contractor is ITC and the architects are Spratley & Partners.
Attending the topping-out ceremony were representatives from Fidelity UK Real Estate Fund, Vail Williams, CBRE, ITC and Spratley & Partners.
Guests included Councillor Daniel Fitzhenry, Leader of Southampton City Council, Matthew Hill, the city council’s Economic Development Manager, and Andrew Lubman, Senior Regeneration and Development Officer at Hampshire County Council.
Councillor Fitzhenry said: “It’s great to see projects like this, with pioneering energy efficiency and the considerable upgrading of existing offices helping to get Southampton moving again by generating new employment and revitalised workspace.”
As part of the refurbishment, the open reception area will have glass frontage onto Brunswick Place, along with a range of breakout spaces including a business lounge for use by occupiers and guests.
According to industry data, Southampton has a workforce of 132,000 with a median age of 32; just over one-third of the population of 252,520 are aged between 18 and 35.
