Construction company, Heron Bros, has been awarded a multi-million pound contract to deliver Grade A office space in Belfast
Building work on the 200,000 sq ft city centre Grade A office, The Paper Exchange, will begin this week and more than 100 jobs will be created during its construction.
The contract was awarded to Heron Bros by Wirefox, the investment and development company responsible for the office scheme.
Located in the heart of Belfast city centre at 43-63 Chichester Street, the Grade A office scheme will accommodate up to 2,000 people once complete and represents a major boost in confidence for Belfast.
Designed by Wirefox and TODD Architects, the state-of-the-art office development will feature an eye-catching double-height entrance lobby, floor to ceiling glazing, seven high-speed lifts, 4,000 sq ft private outdoor terrace, space for 85 bicycle racks and dedicated showering and changing facilities. Two ground floor units have also been earmarked for retail and restaurant use.
A total of 155,000 sq ft of office accommodation will be available once complete.
‘Landmark building’
Martin O’Kane, group deputy managing director at Heron Bros, said: “Few commercial developments can truly earn the title of ‘landmark building’ but The Paper Exchange is an exciting exception and we’re proud to have been chosen to oversee its construction and to deliver on the exacting design requirements of this iconic, transformative project for Belfast and Northern Ireland.”
The project, designed by Belfast-based architects TODD, will be built to the BREEAM Excellent sustainability standard, placing it in the top 10% of sustainable new buildings in the UK.
Wirefox development director, Joanne McBurney, said the mixed-use scheme represented the first significant, privately funded, speculative office development in Belfast for a generation.
McBurney added: “Wirefox has been investing across asset classes in Belfast since 2015 as we strongly believe it has global potential.”
“Development of The Paper Exchange was initiated in order to address the lack of grade A office space available in Belfast, at a time when demand far outweighs supply.
“The Paper Exchange will represent the best office accommodation in Belfast and will attract both local and international interest, providing significant benefit to the local council and economy.”
“We’re delighted that this project is now underway.”
The scheme is due for completion by December 2021 and will be ready for occupation in 2022.
