The refurbishment of Birmingham’s Southside Building is underway, following the appointment of contractors and letting agents to the scheme.
Formerly known as Albany House the 11-storey, 51,000 sq ft office building will receive a £2.5 million package of improvement. Drawing on the buildings mid-century heritage the works will include the comprehensive internal strip-out and refurbishment of common areas and vacant office suites, creating stylish contemporary circulation spaces.
The office area on the first floor will be reconfigured to provide a combination of flexible co-working space, smaller cellular offices and open-plan suites, along with a bookable meeting room and break out area.
The exterior of the building will be partially reclad with the retail units fronting Hurst Street receiving new frontages. A coffee shop unit will link internally to the enhanced and reconfigured reception, and tenants will benefit from new bike storage and shower facilities.
Prominently positioned on Hurst Street and just a few minutes’ walk from New Street Station, the Southside Building represents the leading commercial opportunity in that part of the city for occupiers seeking smaller or co-working space within easy access of the city core.
Jeremy Thiagarajah, Paloma Capital, said: “Southside is dynamic and vibrant and this extensive programme of works will ensure that The Southside Building is seen as an attractive opportunity for Birmingham’s burgeoning range of SMEs, tech companies and start-ups looking for well positioned, high quality and affordable city centre offices.
“Through this first-class programme of refurbishment our vision is that The Southside Building will attract new people and businesses to the area. This really is a hidden gem for the city, with a truly outstanding range of bars, restaurants and cultural venues.”
The works, which are due to be completed in the first quarter of 2020, will be undertaken by fit-out and refurbishment specialist, Willmott Dixon Interiors. Savills and LSH have been appointed as office lettings agents.
Phil Crowther, director of Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “We are very pleased to have been appointed by Paloma Capital to deliver the refurbishment of such a well-established office building in an excellent business location. Birmingham city centre is undergoing considerable redevelopment and this project will undoubtedly ensure that The Southside Building remains an extremely attractive office space for companies looking to arrive in and expand in the city.”
Located next to Birmingham Hippodrome on Hurst Street, The Southside Building overlooks the planned Hippodrome Square, a multi-purpose public space that will play host to a programme of outdoor events and entertainment.
Jeremy continued: “Birmingham’s Southside is a cultural hub with significant plans already in the pipeline for its future development. This includes the public realm upgrade that will connect Grand Central and New Street Station to the Smithfield Market Development, via the proposed Hippodrome Square. We want to ensure that the Southside Building complements this regeneration and becomes a part of the community of the area.”
Paloma Capital is a private equity real estate investor established in 2015 and wholly owned by its founding partners, Joe Froud and Jack Pitman. The company acquired Albany House in November 2017.