Work has started on a £10.6m refurbishment of a former office building in Bristol city centre.
Tower House, on Fairfax Street near The Galleries shopping centre, is set to be transformed into a mix of office, social and retail space.
All floors of the development will be refurbished, with the ground floor set to include a cafe and retail units, one of which will be a hot yoga studio.
Work on the building will also include the construction of a new reception area with a café, and redecoration and refurbishment of all fixtures and fittings, including lifts and bathrooms.
The 71,000 sq ft 14-storey property has been renamed The Fairfax and is expected to be completed in early 2022.
Construction firm Midas, which is working on the project, will also create a new external façade, replacing windows and installing a new roof.
Steve Hart, divisional director at Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, said despite the ongoing impact of the pandemic, he believed demand for office space in Bristol would continue growing.
“[Office space] is set to increase as businesses reassess how and where they operate from and we believe that The Fairfax is perfectly situated to meet that need,” he said.
“We are thrilled to be working on such an important refurbishment project for the city.”
The scheme is being carried out with partners and project managers NRP Consultants on behalf of Oval Real Estate.
James Craig, co-founder of Oval Real Estate, said: “We couldn’t be more pleased to partner with Midas on the reimagining of such a familiar fixture on the Bristol skyline.
“In delivering The Fairfax building next year, we’re aspiring to set a precedent for characterful office space post-Covid offering superior amenity and working environment.
“We are also delighted to be at the forefront of the creation of this emerging new micro location for businesses in Bristol, which is a well connected, yet tucked away, pocket in the heart of the city.”
