Former home of Passport Office sold for £17m

INDIA Buildings, the former home of Liverpool’s Passport Agency, in the heart of the city centre, has been sold for £17m.

Law firm Nabarro advised Kish Eleven on behalf of Green Property on the sale to Marwees.

The architectural icon was home to the Agency until it moved in 2002. Since the departure of the Home Office department, the building has been occupied by businesses and retailers.

The transaction is one of a series of major projects intended to transform Liverpool’s city centre into a popular investment destination.

India Buildings is a Grade II-listed property which was constructed in 1924 and occupies an entire block in Liverpool’s traditional office core.
 
Originally the home of the Blue Funnel Line, the building opened for business in the early 1930s.

It consists of 500,000sq ft of office space over 10 floors. It also includes the Holts Arcade, a barrel-vaulted retail arcade running the length of the building and has its own entrance to James Street station.

The building is currently occupied by tenants that include DLA Piper, Colliers and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Real Estate partner Mark Haywood led the Nabarro team, assisted by senior associate David Lawson.

Haywood, said: “India Buildings attracted strong interest from a range of bidders in a continuing indication of the robustness of regional office markets. Nabarro in Manchester was well placed to complete the sale successfully in 10 days.”