UKTV to Move into 10 Hammersmith Grove
Broadcaster plans "super-sized" HQ in town centre
Hammersmith's city centre office building 10 Hammersmith Grove is now almost full.
Development Securities say they have let a floor and a half to Accor Hotels with more signings to be announced soon..
This means a move west for Accor UK Business & Leisure Hotels Limited, which owns a number of hotel brands including Novotel, Sofitel and Mercure. It will move from its existing HQ at 245 Hammersmith Road following the end of its lease.
It is the second office letting at 10 Hammersmith Grove following the announcement in February that media company, UKTV had taken two floors. DevSec say the whole of 10 Hammersmith Grove is now let or under offer.
Forward-funded by the SWIP Property Trust, part of Aberdeen Asset Management, for £50 million, 10 Hammersmith Grove is the first of two office buildings in the centre of Hammersmith, next to the underground station.
It includes 110,000 sq. ft. of Grade A office space as well as extensive new public realm and three restaurant units at ground level.
Construction of the second building, 12 Hammersmith Grove, which will provide a further 167,000 sq. ft. of prime office space, started in April 2014 and is due to complete early in 2016.
Julian Barwick, Executive Director, Development Securities said: “We are very pleased with the progress we are making at 10 Hammersmith Grove which offers by far the best office space in Hammersmith and which is establishing itself as a significant new commercial destination for West London.”
Kerri Hunter, Deputy Manager of the SWIP Property Trust commented: “The success we have had with UKTV and Accor, two high calibre brands, underlines the quality of the product that we have created with 10 Hammersmith Grove. We look forward to announcing further lettings in due course and completing the development of 12 Hammersmith Grove.”
Multichannel broadcaster UKTV is moving from its current HQ in Bechtel House in Hammersmith Road to 10 Hammersmith Grove, the town centre's newest office building.
The move, which has been rumoured for some time, will see UKTV move its 250 staff by July after the media company signed a 15 year lease for the 32,500 square foot work space.
UKTV is working with interior design and architecture firm Penson to design what it describes as "super-sized headquarters, built for innovation" which will include sociable working spaces, a café-bar, outdoor terrace, studio facilities and a screening room.
Facilities director Sarah Nelson is overseeing the move.
UKTV has ten TV channels - Watch, Dave, Gold, Alibi, Eden, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home and Good Food.
UKTV chief executive, Darren Childs says the new HQ, spead over three floors overlooking Lyric Square will be a "ground-breaking facility".
"The new development increases the size of our current office and gives us the opportunity to create an inspirational working space fit for a broadcaster with a commitment to technology, imagination and the future of media," he says.
"Technology will be at the heart of our progressive new workspace, and it will give everyone at UKTV the freedom to work creatively and collaboratively."
10 Hammersmith Grove is on the former NCP car park site at the foot of Hammersmith Grove.
Two restaurants have already moved into the ground floor - fast expanding chain Bill's and hamburger restaurant Byron's.
And in November 2013, Development Securities announced it was pressing ahead with the next phase, neighbouring building 12 Hammersmith Grove.
At the time the developer's chairman David Jenkind said that 58% of 10 Hammersmith Grove was under offer, and added the company is " encouraged by the level of interest in the remainder of the space."
He added: "Given our progress, we are now priming the second phase, 12 Hammersmith Grove, a 165,000 sq ft grade-A office building for commencement in early 2014."
February 21, 2014
