As IM Properties (IMP) gets close to unveiling its £30 million redevelopment of 55 Colmore Row, the building’s record breaking wrap is set to come down and get a new lease of life.
The 2,445 sq metres of PVC wrap – which is equivalent to a wall of 50 double decker buses – is being removed to make way for the final works and will be recycled, including its fixings to make weatherproof yurts for families in North Africa and parts of Greece.
This initiative is being pioneered by Embrace Building Wraps who are working in conjunction with IM Properties. Banners of this type are ideal for repurposing, due to the hardwearing properties of the PVC along with the white reverse of the printed banner, which reflect the heat of the sun’s rays.
55 Colmore Row, which has already attracted tenants Pinsent Masons and restaurant operator Gaucho, is set to launch in the Autumn and deliver 160,000 sq ft of Grade A space, including the addition of two new floors, set behind the Grade II Listed Victorian façade with a vista across St Philips Cathedral.
John Hammond investment director at IMP said: “The building wrap created a real buzz when it went up and it’s now set to create an even greater impact when it comes down, getting a second lease of life and providing invaluable shelters for those in less fortunate climates.
“It been a part of the Birmingham landscape for the past six months and we’re delighted to think it will continue to live on for the benefit of others in another part of the world. We’re always trying to break new boundaries when it comes to our investments and build projects and Embrace’s shared vision for sustainability is exactly the type of forwarding thinking company we like to work with.”
Greg Forster, MD of Embrace Building Wraps, added: “A simple act such as this is the heart of good building and business practice and by recycling the banners we will have a real positive social and environmental impact.
“IM Properties banner will join other banners we are producing and recycling and will be shipped in a container when full to a organisation who will then repurpose them into yurts. It will be great to see this process happen and we’re delighted to be getting such positive feedback from our clients.”
Coleshill based IM Properties is one of the largest privately owned property companies in the UK and a significant investor in the Midlands. Blythe Valley Business Park, Mell Square Shopping Centre, Birch Coppice and The Hub are amongst its portfolio.