The BT Tower, at one point the tallest structure in London, has been sold for £275m to American hotel chain MCR
Considered an iconic part of the London skyline, the BT Tower was first erected in 1964, and 189m in height was the tallest structure in the city until 1980, when the NatWest Tower surpassed it.
“This deal with MCR will enable BT Tower to take on a new purpose, preserving this iconic building for decades to come,” said BT’s property director Brent Mathews.
MCR intends to convert the Grade-II structure into a hotel
BT Group will take several years to vacate the premises due to the amount of technical equipment present, in which time MCR intends to engage with local communities and finetune the design development.
MCR will partner with London-based Heatherwick Studio to consider how best to reimagine its use as a hotel.
The BT Tower acquisition will bring MCR’s portfolio up to around 150 hotels, including other famous historical sites such as the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport and the Gramercy Park Hotel, both in New York.
Tyler Morse, CEO and owner of MCR Hotels, said: “We are proud to preserve this beloved building and will work to develop proposals to tell its story as an iconic hotel, opening its doors for generations to enjoy.”
The London landmark has been loved and loathed
In the same year that the BT Tower was awarded Grade-II listed status, it also reached second place in a survey of London’s ugliest buildings.
BT Group ran a multitude of telecommunications services from the tower, originally known as the Post Office Tower, which also had a rotating restaurant providing 360° views of London on the top floor.
The restaurant was closed after a bombing on the 33rd floor in 1971 caused significant damage. The perpetrators were never identified. Since then, the top floor has been used to host special events such as the Children in Need charity broadcast in 2010.
The LED band wrapped around the 36th and 37th floors often displays news coverage and visuals commemorating events, such as a countdown to the 2012 Olympics and reminders to stay home during the pandemic.
