Nikal is delighted to announce in these unprecedented times that they have appointed McAleer & Rushe to deliver the first stage of its £120M Exchange Square 2 development in Birmingham City Centre.
Work on a landmark new 37-storey residential tower and half-an-acre of new public square opposite HS2 Curzon Birmingham commences this week (July 2020) with completion scheduled for Summer 2023.
The stage 1 works have a value of £68m and will be a significant addition to the Birmingham skyline. Nikal has also achieved planning for a 15-storey 235-bed Premier Inn Hotel and 6,000sqft Bar+Block Steakhouse Restaurant, both pre-let to Whitbread, and 7,500 sq ft of high quality retail space with 63 under croft car parking spaces, all of which will form stage 2.
The residential building, which is the tallest on the site and comprises 375 build-to-rent apartments, has been pre-sold to Grainger plc, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord and leader in the UK private rented sector (PRS).
Said Nikal Development Director, Darren Jones, “We’re excited to be getting on site and commencing the delivery of this element at Exchange Square. We first met McAleer & Rushe in MIPIM last year and held initial discussions about this and a number of other pipeline projects.
“They are one of the UK’s leading design and build contractors with a 50-year heritage and an impressive portfolio of landmark projects in the Residential sector. In addition to all this experience and success, they have a pure passion and enthusiasm for construction that, as a client, you look for in your main contractor.
“Their professionalism, thoroughness and expertise has been evident in all our dealings and we are very pleased to be able to bring them on board to deliver this first stage of Exchange Square 2 on behalf of ourselves, and Grainger plc,” he commented.
Exchange Square 2 is the latest element in the second phase of Nikal’s Masshouse project, a major £350M regeneration plan to redevelop one of the parcels of land created through the removal of Masshouse Circus, the city’s ‘concrete collar’ ring road, in 2002.
Emmett McGinley, Commercial Director at McAleer & Rushe commented: “We are thrilled to be entrusted as Design & Build Partner for this stage of the major development at Exchange Square where we have worked collaboratively with the development teams at Nikal and Grainger, to reach this key milestone.
“Using our expertise in the residential and BTR sectors, we will be implementing modern methods of construction to complete the tower building, paving the way for the successful and sustainable delivery of the project for all stakeholders involved and much needed homes in the area.
“We are nearing completion on a high-rise student project at Lancaster Circus in the city and are very pleased to continue our engagement with the local community and provide further employment opportunities as construction progresses,” he added.
Nikal has assembled a highly accomplished and experienced professional team to work alongside McAleer & Rushe, to deliver Exchange Square 2, including:
Stephenson Studio – Architecture
Curtins – Structural Engineering
Design Fire Consulting – Fire Safety Engineers
Artal – Employers Agent
Arup – Services Engineer
Williams Gallagher – Planning Consultants
