Birmingham office building set for major overhaul just months after being acquired

A BIRMINGHAM city centre office building is set to undergo a major refurbishment just months after being acquired by its new owner.

Cornvalley, which purchased 126 Colmore Row in August, is investing ‘significant capital’ in upgrading the office accommodation, together with the public parts of the building.

It is looking to take advantage of the city centre’s strong demand for office space, where a shortage of good qualify space is elevating prices.

Richard Durkin, director at LSH Birmingham, which acquired the property on behalf of Cornvalley, said the refurbishment would attract more businesses in what was a prime location in the Colmore Business District.
 
LSH’s building surveying team has been instructed to lead the refurbishment, which will see office suites of around 400 sq ft to 1,100 sq ft coming to the market by the beginning of 2017.

LSH’s office agency team will also market the building, while the property management team has been appointed to manage the building on behalf of the client.
 
“The property at 126 Colmore Row is in a prime location in the heart of the city centre and the opportunity to refurbish the offices will deliver very high quality space,” said Mr Durkin.
 
“There is a real need for high quality offices of this size in the city centre as small businesses look to expand or relocate to a central site. We are offering a full service to our client – from acquisition through refurbishment to management – which demonstrates the scope of work we deliver.
 
“We expect that interest for these suites will be very high indeed once we begin marketing them and bring the newly designed accommodation to market.”
 
The building, which dates to 1929, was designed by Samuel Nathaniel Cooke, the Birmingham architect behind the Hall of Memory in Centenary Square and the original Repertory Theatre.