6 Bevis Marks, designed by Fletcher Priest Architects, is set to be completed in September 2013. The 170,000 sq ft speculative office scheme is being developed by AXA Real Estate in partnership with private equity real estate investment advisory company MGPA. Total development cost is estimated at £115m.
Skanska’s appointment follows its completion of the project's demolition phase.
The design includes floor plates ranging in size from 6,000 sq ft to 13,000 sq ft, making the development suitable for a broad range of clients either on a single or multi-let basis. It is targeting a BREAAM ‘Excellent’ rating and is designed to be 80% more energy efficient than the building it replaces. It also reuses more than 50% of the original structural mass that is part of an extensive sustainability agenda that shortens the construction programme, and helps avoid risks in the ground, the developers say.
Harry Badham, AXA Real Estate’s UK Director of Development said: “This development, with its spectacular sky-garden on the 16th floor, will provide one of the most exciting additions to the skyline in the City’s tower cluster, alongside the Gherkin and the Heron Tower. We believe Bevis Marks will provide an exceptional workspace and is being delivered at a time when new build space will be in short supply, further emphasising our ability to source innovative assets which have the potential to create significant value for our clients.”
Skanska managing director Paul Heather said: “To be appointed as principal contractor for the construction phase of this innovative 170,000 sq ft new build development is a challenging prospect, but one that we relish and we are confident that, alongside AXA Real Estate and MGPA, we can deliver an outstanding and highly sustainable new office property onto the market.”
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