Colmore Tang Construction (CTC) has started work on the redevelopment of an existing curtain factory in Birmingham City Centre, formerly known as the Harrison Drape building.
Work on the £30 million redevelopment will see part of the existing factory demolished, converted and extended while a further three buildings will be constructed to provide a total of 313 apartments.
The site had been the home of curtain track maker Harrison Drape since the 19th century, but was brought by developer Seven Capital in 2012.
CTC were awarded the construction contract on the prestigious £30 million development in 2014 following a four-way tender process.
Construction Director of CTC Andy Conroy said: “We are really excited to be starting work on the Harrison Drape project, a key milestone in the regeneration of the Digbeth area.
“The old curtain factory has a great legacy with the local community and we wanted to make sure we maintained as much of the original features as possible to preserve its heritage.
“As a result we are retaining the façade of the building, which will be converted into 118 apartments, a combination of studio and one and two beds. The remaining 195 apartments will be split across the three new blocks we are building.”
The Birmingham based firm have created 200 construction jobs and employed over 30 sub-contractors to work on the project, which is expected to be completed by December 2016.
The development will also benefit from its close proximity to Bullring, Moor Street Station and the planned High Speed 2 terminal in Curzon Street.
Wouter Schuitemaker, Investment Director at Business Birmingham, the city’s inward investment programme, said: “The Harrison Drape project is the latest in a series of exciting, new residential developments, which take advantage of Birmingham’s eye-catching, historic architecture.
“Not only will the scheme create more than 200 new jobs, it will cement the city’s emergence as one of the UK’s top property investment locations.
“From the iCentrum building at Innovation Birmingham Campus to the multi-million pound centre of excellence at Birmingham City University, more people and businesses are being attracted to the local area – and Harrison Drape will help to meet the growing demand for accommodation in the increasingly popular Digbeth district.”
Other CTC projects also include the £25m development of the UK’s first Park Regis hotel in Birmingham city centre, which is set to open early 2016. The former 1960s 12 storey Auchinleck House office block is being converted from derelict offices in conjunction with the refurbishment of the Five Ways shopping complex.
Work has also begun on the refurbishment of another Birmingham based office block which extends to 137,599 sq ft over 22 floors. One Hagely Road, formerly known as Metropolitan House is being converted from commercial office space to 271 luxury apartments, including a roof-top extension.