New BLOC Hotel underway in Birmingham

Work has commenced at the site of the new BLOC Hotel opposite Birmingham’s Grand Central and New Street Station following the demolition of Gallan House, which formerly occupied the site.

Work is being undertaken by the contractor companies Building Services Design (BSD), ICIS Design Ltd, and BrightSPACE Architects who offered electrical and mechanical engineering services, structural engineering services, and design services respectively.

The 7,000sq m BLOC Hotel development will stand in the heart of Birmingham, at a height of 22 storeys, and will consist of 227 bedrooms, with construction scheduled to continue until its completion in 2021.

The Director at Building Services Design, Joel Sawyer stated: “Due to the height of the building, our biggest challenge was the splitting of water services. We had to design a system that would allow the correct amount of flow and pressure, serving every level of the building seamlessly.

“There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to hotel design. In addition to standard rooms, BLOC Grand Central will offer apartment-style accommodation with kitchenettes, lounges, and separate bedrooms.

“BLOC Grand Central will have a tall, slim structure that is like nothing else we have in Birmingham – so will be a welcome, modern new addition to the city.

“Birmingham is quickly transforming into a world-class city. BSD has had a presence here for more than ten years, so we are incredibly proud to be involved in such a significant scheme in the heart of our city.”

The BLOC Commercial Director, Danny Jones added: “We have a fantastic team working on BLOC Grand Central, which has managed to fulfil and deliver on our brief. BSD have managed to overcome challenges the building presented and design a fit-for-purpose system.

“We are delighted to be opening our third hotel, adjacent to Grand Central station in Birmingham. It is an incredible city which has seen significant development over the last few years.”

If you would like to read more articles like this then please click here.