Investor swoops for Grade II-listed Colmore Row building
Investor Kinrise has acquired the Grade II-listed Chatwin Building at 81 Colmore Row, with plans to “create a unique workspace in the city”.
Built in 1871, the central business district building was designed by Birmingham-born Julius Alfred Chatwin – one of the city’s most prolific architects.
It was on the market with JLL, which was seeking offers in excess of £11.4m.
Home to RBC Brewin Dolphin and Six by Nico, 81 Colmore Row is the first acquisition in Kinrise’s second UK Cities Fund. The investor is looking to build a “national portfolio of iconic buildings built for a new world of work”.
In a video to announce the deal, George Aberdeen, managing partner at Kinrise said: “Since the huge success of our previous project in Birmingham Citadel, we’ve been looking for the next opportunity to create a unique workspace in the city.
“This stunning Grade II-listed building is everything we were hoping for. We’re excited to be on-site very soon to create a seriously premium building in the centre of the city.
“Our plans for 81 Colmore Row include creating extremely high-quality office space for smaller businesses, but also for larger enterprises looking to secure a solid base for their business later this year.”
Samuel Lawson Johnston, managing partner at Kinrise said: “In our search for the perfect building, we were looking for something in the heart of the city and its business district, a building full of beautiful character and ready to be reimagined for a new world of work. And we’re excited to say we found just that.
“The building sits on Colmore Road, which is the beating heart of enterprise and business in the city. This street, already home to ambitious businesses, will have an exciting new offering for companies moving to the area.
“We’re incredibly excited about this purchase in Birmingham. It’s the first purchase and our latest investment fund in which we’re building a national portfolio of iconic buildings built for a new world of work.”