New ‘co-working’ space planned for restructure
ACITY centre building is to undergo renovation to meet growing demand for flexible office accommodation.
Ashby Capital is working with shared workspace operator Orega to create new accommodation on the ground floor of The Colmore Building.
Orega, which already runs 17,000 sq ft of flexible office space at the building in Colmore Circus Queensway, has agreed a ten-year management contract to operate a new co-working area next to the reception and a café.
It will also create 11,000 sq ft of new serviced office space on the ground floor.
As part of the restructuring, the café will be expanded and rearranged with a new island bar serving both the existing customer area and the new Orega reception and co-working space.
London-based architectural practice MoreySmith, which worked on the £3.5 million refurbishment of The Colmore Building, has designed the new coffee house and co-working area.
Work is due to be completed during the summer.
Tom Smithers, head of asset management at AshbyCapital, said: “Our recent refurbishment of The Colmore Building has created a modern workspace with Birmingham’s broadest amenity offering, reflecting the changing demands of modern occupiers.
“With flexibility, community and facilities increasingly high on the agenda for all office workers, the addition of a new, design-focused co-working space, which will link in to our coffee house and reception, is set to broaden the building’s appeal even further.”
Robin Pugh, real estate director at Orega, added: “With enquiries for flexible office space in Birmingham increasing by more than a third over the last two years, we are excited to be increasing our presence at the heart of Birmingham’s Colmore Business District to meet this growing demand.”
Asbhy Capital acquired the then Colmore Plaza in 2015 for £140 million and in 2016 carried out a wholesale revamp and rebrand.
The new facilities included a cycle hub, gym, treatment rooms, changing facilities and the new café.