The Reuben brothers are planning a revamp of John Lewis Partnership’s former London headquarters in a move they hope will make the “gloomy and uninviting” building attractive to a variety of new tenants.
Simon and David Reuben’s Kirkglade has lodged plans with Westminster City Council for the refurbishment and extension of the 14-storey 171 Victoria Street, SW1.
The company wants to pitch the building as multi-occupation rather than a single headquarters. John Lewis Partnership halved its office space in the capital with its move to the 108,000 sq ft 1 Drummond Gate, SW1 and will have left the building entirely by the end of this year.
The project would add new office space and roof terraces to the building, create a new entrance onto Cathedral Plaza and improve the main entrance on Carlisle Place. Its reliance on natural gas would be switched to an all-electric system and the existing façade upgraded to deliver further sustainability improvements.
In a planning statement for the proposals, consultancy DP9 said: “The existing leasable office space is designed to accommodate a single occupier. In order to secure the building’s long-term future, it needs to be reconfigured to allow multiple office tenants to occupy the building.”
DP9 said a consultation on the plans “confirmed that the community were supportive of the retrofit-first approach being adopted and the proposal for a sensitive refurbishment and improved design of the building that is sensitive to its surroundings”.
Architects at TP Bennett said the refurbishment will “create a brighter, more engaging and engaged site, which will be less gloomy and uninviting”.
“Our proposals will help to create a more flexible office space, allowing for multiple new tenants, while bringing the spaces up to standard,” the firm added. “This will include new outside amenities along with additional entrances and a new cycling and end of journey infrastructure. The proposals will help to provide new jobs and investment for the local area, helping to support the local economy.”
Image © futureof171victoriastreet.co.uk
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