NEWS ARCHIVE

NEW YEAR’S PRESENT FOR BIRMINGHAM’S OFFICE MARKET | 16/01/07

Targetfollow has delivered the best possible New Year’s present to Birmingham with the completion of Baskerville House. The landmark building is the first substantial office building to be unveiled in the city centre this year, following a £30 million transformation.

As one of the largest regional speculative developments in England, the state-of-the-art building offers 195,108 sq ft of Grade A office space set over seven storeys with some of the largest floor plates in the city of up to 29,267 sq ft.

Ian Fox, executive director of property at Targetfollow, developers of Baskerville House, said: “The completion of this project to transform one of Birmingham’s most important buildings is fantastic news, both for the city and Targetfollow.

“As a company we are extremely proud of Baskerville House and it is undoubtedly now one of the most important properties in our £1 billion portfolio as well as being one of the prime office addresses in the city. The scale of the project to transform Baskerville House is the largest development undertaken by the company to date and the finished product easily meets the high standards demanded of a Targetfollow property.

“People have been talking about the building ever since the scaffolding came down to reveal the imposing exterior, unquestionably a key element of Birmingham’s cityscape, and we now look forward to presenting the equally impressive interior to the marketplace.”

The multi-million pound overhaul of Baskerville House has seen a complete internal transformation into Grade A office space and a sympathetic restoration of the building’s dramatic historic exterior.

Cllr Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “The ongoing regeneration of Birmingham is about bringing together old and new in successful synergy. In Baskerville House we have a fantastic example of how to successfully and sympathetically breathe new life into one of the city’s most important historic buildings.

“Baskerville House plays a vital part in providing the highest quality Grade A office space for Birmingham. This helps to underline our role as an international business city. Regeneration is at the heart of Birmingham’s continuing growth and Targetfollow’s work on this landmark building is another successful step in the city’s ongoing transformation.”

One of the most stunning elements of the scheme is the addition of a dramatic glazed dome roof which has created two further office floors, designed in contemporary steel and glass, to supplement the five existing storeys.

Joint agents Philippa Pickavance, from Drivers Jonas, and Martin Guest, from CB Richard Ellis, said: “Baskerville House is undoubtedly the most important property to come into the market this year and offers something completely unique in the city at the moment.

“As well as its powerful status location dominating Birmingham’s best known square in the centre of our city, Baskerville House fills a longstanding gap in the regional commercial property market. It is ideal for those considering a major new headquarters or simply wanting to occupy a floor in this major landmark building.

“What is certain is that if potential occupiers have been attracted by the eye-catching exterior, they will be completely entranced by the astonishing interior of which there is nothing to compare anywhere in the city.”

The new interior is now unrecognisable from when Targetfollow bought the property, providing light and airy high specification floor plates wrapped around two new atria while still retaining some original features on the lower floors including vaulted ceilings, marble floors and decorative wall carvings. The building will also benefit from 143 car parking spaces.

Baskerville House as seen today has stood since the Second World War and was built on the site of the old manor house owned by renowned Birmingham man of letters John Baskerville, to who’s memory a monument still stands in Centenary Square. The building was occupied by council officials for many years but was vacant when Targetfollow bought the property in 2000.