Wates Construction has been appointed as the main contractor to refurbish the Old Marylebone Town Hall.
A significant investment by London Business School will restore the building to a full state of repair, whilst creating a modern learning environment within the historic premises.
The 123,451 sq ft development will expand London Business School’s teaching facilities making it an integral part of the campus, creating a triangle of educational facilities between Sussex Place, the Taunton Centre and Old Marylebone Town Hall.
Wates’ work will include the part-demolition and restructuring of the former Westminster Council House and annexe buildings, plus the construction of new auditoriums with state-of-the-art AV and IT facilities.
The appointment follows London Business School’s acquisition of the building from Westminster City Council in 2013. The new development has been part-funded by a £25m donation from industrialist and principal of the Quantum Pacific Group, Idan Ofer.
Designed by Sheppard Robson, the project will include the conservation of the building’s early twentieth century period features, which will be overseen by Westminster City Council.
Features of the scheme will include a new three-storey building with six lecture theatres, 35 seminar rooms, a library, offices and faculty spaces and a student lounge.
Phil Shortman, Managing Director, Wates Construction London, commented: “It’s an honour for Wates to be entrusted with the preservation of such an iconic landmark and we are very much looking forward to working with London Business School and Westminster City Council to breathe new life into this exceptional building.
“We have an excellent project team in place to apply their wealth of experience in the higher education and heritage sectors in order to deliver what will become a place of world-class research and learning.”