A new office complex in Birmingham which will provide a HQ for a city developer and additional commercial space has been given a new name.
Cordia Blackswan announced in March that it had bought 22a Great Hampton Street on the edge of the Jewellery Quarter and planned to undertake a wholesale renovation of the grade II listed building.
In a nod to its former use as a Lloyds Bank, the complex will be called The Bank when it opens early next year.
Once the renovation is complete, the developer will occupy space on the first floor of the 15,000 sq ft building which will also contain new office and co-working space and a café while the old basement vault will be converted into a music venue.
To launch the project, Cordia Blackswan, which is currently based in the Argent Centre also in the Jewellery Quarter, held a public vote to pick a name from a shortlist.
During the renovation, the team discovered original tiles underneath the current concrete flooring which are thought to date back to the 1880s and which will form part of the new ground-floor café.
Managing director Marcus Hawley said: "Given the fantastic history of this building and the Jewellery Quarter more broadly, we felt that 22A didn't properly convey the kind of place that we imagined this building to be in the future.
"We want The Bank to be a hub for the community so it was only right that we asked the community to share their thoughts and be a part of this process.
"We are pleased to showcase our vision for this fantastic grade II listed building with many historic features that we plan to protect in this characterful development.
"Retaining the heritage of the Jewellery Quarter is a key priority for us, as well as looking beyond the borders of our sites to involve the local community."
