25-storey tower hotel set to complement Grand Central
A MULTI-MILLION-pound hotel development is set to be latest addition to Birmingham’s burgeoning hospitality sector.
The 25-storey tower will replace a 1960s office block a stone’s throw away from the new Grand Central, adjoining New Street Station.
The BLOC Grand Central, as the new building is called, has been designed by Birmingham-based architects Glenn Howells and the scheme is entirely funded by private investors.
The 238-bed facility is intended to support Birmingham City Council’s vision of making the Southside district a vibrant and attractive destination for visitors.
The building, which has been submitted to the city council for planning permission, will be situated just across Hill Street from one of the main entrances to the New Street concourse, John Lewis and the Grand Central shopping and food mall.
The hotel will be built on a site currently occupied by the largely-vacant Gallan House and once complete, will create 40 full-time jobs.
The Southside development – at 32-34 Hill Street – is part of an ongoing multi-million-pound investment by the hotel chain in Birmingham city centre. BLOC already operates one hotel in the city, situated in the Jewellery Quarter.
Rob Morgan, Managing Director of BLOC Hotels, said: “BLOC Grand Central will be a defining moment in the company’s ambitious growth strategy. Our first hotel was in Birmingham and we want to continue to invest in the city where the brand was born.”
Glenn Howells, of Glenn Howells Architects, said: “We are delighted to be working with fellow Birmingham-based company BLOC Hotels on a bespoke building for the heart of the city.
“The building is situated at an important gateway site within Birmingham city centre and offers the opportunity to define a benchmark for the future regeneration of this part of the city.”
BLOC’s designers, in conjunction with innovation partners Samsung, have sketched out a high-tech, smart hotel that matches the aspirations of the area.
