New Southbank Office Space Achieves 73% Capacity Ahead of Launch
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The shift to SE1 continues with the news that the Blackfriars Road tower containing brand new Southbank office space is almost three-quarters full – just over a month since construction was completed.
Engineering company Ramboll is the latest tenant to take up Southbank office space at 240 Blackfriars Road; their lease on more than 31,000 sq ft takes the building to 73% occupancy.
Developed by the Ropemaker Partnership (a joint venture between Great Portland Estates and Ropemaker Properties), the nineteen-storey building contains 225,000 sq ft of Southbank office space which is flexible enough to be used as corporate or creative space.
Designed by AHMM, the building boasts a distinctive angular shape and glazed exterior, resulting in what its developers describe as a “crystalline appearance”. At ninety metres high it is an undeniably striking addition to the area around Blackfriars Bridge.
Inside, the entrance to the building has a dramatic nine-metre high reception while, thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows and location, the building offers 360° views across Central London, taking in iconic sights including St Paul’s.
The developers have worked hard to create the new Southbank office space flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of occupiers. Each floor offers more than 11,000 sq ft of space which can be arranged in a corporate, creative or high density layout, accommodating up to 139 workers in a combination of open-plan and cellular offices.
“It’s a building that works”, according to the tagline which accompanies the 240 Blackfriars manifesto. The document stresses the emphasis on providing offices which are reasonably priced while also being designed to offer flexibility and high quality facilities.
As more high-profile companies look to SE1 for an affordable alternative to traditionally popular but increasingly costly areas of Central London, the need for high-specification Southbank office space looks set to rise.
Already, the shift south of the Thames has begun, with a number of media companies in particular opting to relocate to areas such as Waterloo and London Bridge.
As for 240 Blackfriars’ latest tenant; Ramboll will join law firm Bootle Hatfield and publishers United Business Media as tenants within the tower. The latter organisation has taken space across the upper nine floors of the building to serve as its new UK HQ from 2015.
According to the Ropemaker Partnership, there is already strong interest in the remaining 60,000 sq ft of available space. Given the surging popularity of Southbank office space, we predict it won’t be long before the building can announce 100% occupancy.
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