Pictured above: David Harris, managing partner for
Robinson Low Francis
At a time when success stories are thin on the ground, 54 Hagley
Road is rising out of the recession with new owners and a letting
to construction and property consultants, Robinson Low Francis
(RLF).
Joint office agents Jonathan Carmalt from King Sturge and Mark
Robinson from GBR have brokered the deal and as Mark Robinson says,
"RLF's move is a classic case in the current climate of a business
using its savvy to upgrade the quality of its offices
significantly, to a more prominent address with better facilities
at a very price competitive rental level."
RLF is moving from older offices on Hagley Road to the
extensively refurbished 54 Hagley Road, for which they acted as
cost consultants on the £15 million upgrade. The
offices are soon to have a new café and meeting room
facilities too.
With seven offices in the UK and one in Malta, RLF provides
construction and property related consultancy services to public
and private sector clients and is currently involved in projects
with a total value well in excess of £1 billion.
David Harris managing partner for RLF in Birmingham said he
never considered the possibility that they would aspire to be
working in the high quality offices they helped refurbish as he
explains:
"Birmingham is a key office for RLF and a significant market for
us. Our existing lease was coming up for renewal and we were
presented with an opportunity to occupy a 6,400 sq ft floor at 54
Hagley Road which was too good to turn down.
"From initial contact to completion of the overall deal only
took a few weeks and Mercia have been very accommodating and
flexible in meeting our requirements. It's a sound strategic move
for RLF, raising our profile in the city and significantly
improving our working environment in first class space in a
landmark building on the Hagley Road."
New owners of 54 Hagley Road, Mercia Real Estate Limited, is
offering attractive terms to prospective occupiers and is
demonstrating the benefits of being a flexible landlord, looking to
maximise its assets and secure tenants in difficult trading
conditions.
Mercia Real Estate Limited is an affiliate of US-based private
equity firm, Westbrook Partners.
The refurbishment has created a stylish working and lifestyle
environment that will satisfy the needs of companies that are
anxious to recruit and retain quality staff.
54 Hagley Road now offers a bright vibrant new central reception
area, air conditioning, six new lifts and suspended ceilings with
LG7-compatible lighting, as well as open floor plates with carpeted
raised floors, new toilets and showers, and improved disabled
facilities.
The car parking ratio of 1:438 sq ft of office accommodation in
surface, undercroft and multi-storey levels is also much better
than available in other areas of Birmingham.
All this is complemented by views across a surprising amount of
green space in Edgbaston which is one of Europe's largest Urban
Conservation areas. A wealth of amenities are also available with
first class transport links including Five Ways train station,
quality schools, Michelin star restaurants, historic beauty spots
and first class sporting and leisure facilities.