US engineering firm planning move into Birmingham’s CBD

IN what is understood to be a move linked to high-speed rail project HS2, US engineering firm Jacobs is planning to relocate to city developer Nurton’s 2 Colmore Square building.

According to specialist property site CoStar News, Jacobs has gone under offer on 20,000 sq ft of offices at the Colmore Business District (CBD) scheme.

It will be relocating from Alpha Tower in Suffolk Street Queensway.

CoStar points out that the deal would see Jacobs become the first engineering firm to plan a move into the CBD in the wake of the operating company behind HS2’s announcement last year that it will base its 100,000 sq ft headquarters at nearby Two Snowhill.

HS2’s decision to base itself in the city centre, with the creation of 1,500 new jobs, is expected to provide a boost for the office market as engineering and construction companies move in to take advantage of supply chain opportunities.

GVA and CBRE are the joint letting agents at 2 Colmore Square.