Lime Street Square | City of London | 190m | 40 fl | Approved

[Core Rising]

So as not to keep cluttering up the Pinnacle thread; W.R. Berkley in talks with Kohn Pederson Fox (KPF) to design a new 40 story tower on 52-54 Lime Street (27 Leadenhall Street). W.R. Berkley are currently based at 40 Lime Street opposite the Lloyds Building and Willis building and have bought the land.

Originally Posted by Marquinho01

July 11, 2012 11:30 pm
US insurer to scale up European profile - From ft.com

Do you reckon they might want to build this on the Pinnacle site? They say next door to Lloyds and I can't think of any other locations?

A large US insurer has struck a deal with the City of London to build its own skyscraper, underlining the rapidly growing presence of international insurers in the Square Mile.

WR Berkley, which has a market value of $5.4bn, is understood to have agreed terms with the City’s planning authorities to construct a 40-storey tower next door to the offices of Lloyd’s of London.

WR Berkley is among the largest providers of insurance to midsized companies in the US. The company is scaling up its operations in Europe, with offices in Germany, Ireland, Spain and Norway. The agreement to build its own skyscraper follows a flurry of deals by US insurers to expand their office space in the centre of London, taking advantage of the shrinking of banks, which have long dominated the City office market.

In January, Aon signed a lease on 191,000 sq ft of office space in the nearby Leadenhall building, under construction and nicknamed the Cheese Grater. Meanwhile, Markel took up a 51,000 sq ft pre-let agreement last month on Land Securities’ 36-storey Walkie-Talkie building.

The building would become one of five skyscrapers under construction in the Square Mile, which, in contrast to the low levels of development outside of the UK capital, has seen a spike in demand for new office space. The buildings are expected to capture some of the demand arising from lease expiries and breaks, expected to hit 3m sq ft a year in the City until 2017.

However, the City is undergoing a transformation in terms of its occupiers. Many of the large investment banks have relocated to Canary Wharf, favouring the wide floor plates and ability to have all of their staff in one building. The cost of office space in the City is also a big driver. Prime office rents in Canary Wharf are at £36 per sq ft a year, compared with £55 per sq ft in the City.

The departure of many traditional occupiers has opened the door for other industries, such as technology, media and professional services businesses.

However, it is the rise of the insurance sector in the City market which has spurred on letting activity during the first half of this year. A recent report from CBRE, the estate agents, said that there are 13 insurers actively searching for a combined 1m sq ft of office space in central London.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/0...86B0C220120712

[Yorkshire Boy]

BANANA TIME! 40 storeys!? would that be around 175 - 185m~ surely!

[Core Rising]

Made a quick mock-up, showing the location and kind of height we should expect:



Render taken from one of Chest's photos.

http://constructionchest.smugmug.com/

-Edit-

Ignore this diagram and megalothians. They were made when we thought the location was 40 Lime Street. The actual location is 52-54 Lime Street, a correct diagram is on the next page.

[Megalothian]

You beat me to it!

[Core Rising]

I wanted to just copy and past the render of 100 Bishopsgate into that location. That’s the sort of thing we should be seeing proposed.

[Gavrosh]

Nice infill to link up 20FS with the rest of the cluster.

[Black Cat]

Interesting news - in the midst of the current economic issues, and with some high rise projects in motion, along comes a new investor to build a high rise. Its well situated though the site is tight. The tower appears to help connect the cluster at Bishopsgate with 20 Fenchurch St, also positive. The only negative is that the existing building is a good example of an interwar office building with interesting set backs of the upper floors akin to NYC buildings. Lets hope that the design of the new tower is good.

[AXISPAW]

Going on those mock ups it will really help 20 Fenchurch tie in with the cluster. Very promising.

[Daviegraham]

Promising news, however it seems like quite an attractive building to be demolishing.

I know it's easier said than done but you always hope it's going to be one of the 'mares that make way for these big new builds.

[Bob]

I think the current building is really dull???

Bring it on, encouraging to see some life in the design/planning stage which currently looks spartan.

[lumberjack]

Apparently renders are coming out next week!!

[Grinili]

'New City Skyscraper planned

WR Berkley, the American insurance firm, is in the final stages of preparing a planning proposal for a new skyscraper in the City of London.

A spokesman told Construction News that the company had been in pre-planning discussions with the Corporation of London, and that the building is rumoured to be around 40 storeys tall.

If successful, the bid would be the first successful high-rise office scheme in the City since late 2008, when the 100 Bishopsgate development – known as the Pinnacle - was approved.

CN understands that Architect Kohn Pederson Fox has been appointed to draw up designs for the site at 52-54 Lime Street and 27 Leadenhall, in the heart of London’s financial district.

WR Berkley is currently headquartered at 40 Lime Street, but may relocate its head office to the new site.

The firm bought the 98,000 sq ft site last year for around £38m, from real estate fund manager Prupim.

Initial images are expected to be released next week.'

http://www.cnplus.co.uk/new-city-sky...&contentID=556

[DarJoLe]

The tower being proposed is not at 40 Lime Street but the building on the other side of Willis between it and Leadenhall Street. Whatever is proposed will need to deal with the St Paul's sight line that influenced the design of 122 Leadenhall.

[The Shard Baby]

Solves the gap problem we have had between the Walkie Talkie and the main cluster (Leadenhall, 42, Swiss Re, (Pinnacle) and Heron).

[Core Rising]

Originally Posted by The Shard Baby

Solves the gap problem we have had between the Walkie Talkie and the main cluster (Leadenhall, 42, Swiss Re, (Pinnacle) and Heron).

Not if it is 52-54 Lime Street. Seems like the exact location is still not know, unless I'm reading these articles wrong. I'm going to have another go at a massing mockup for that location. My previous one is still accurate if it is going to be on 27 Leadenhall Street.

[DarJoLe]

Originally Posted by Core Rising

My previous one is still accurate if it is going to be on 27 Leadenhall Street.

It's to the left of Willis and not that tall.

[The Shard Baby]

True Saint Paul's will limit the design badly, maybe we will end up with another wedge shaped structure!

[Core Rising]

Still too tall, but probably a more accurate location:

[JD47]

So will they have to knock buildings down to make this or is there already free land on the site?

[Core Rising]

Originally Posted by JD47

So will they have to knock buildings down to make this or is there already free land on the site?

http://goo.gl/maps/YEog

There are buildings on the site as far down as 27 Leadenhall Street.

http://goo.gl/maps/LWw8