Bruntwood SciTech says its £4.3m investment into its Liverpool city centre estate has attracted 20 new firms and allowed another 10 to expand. Tony McDonough reports
Bruntwood SciTech has invested £4.3m into The Plaza, the Cotton Exchange and Cotton House in Liverpool over the past year, helping it to attract 20 new tenants.
And the firm also says the upgrades of commercial district office buildings has also facilitated the expansion of another 10 tenants. To celebrate the completion of works Bruntwood SciTech will hold an innovators festival outside The Plaza in March.
This work involved a series of refurbishments and upgrades. Investment has been specifically targeted to help high-growth businesses tap into the city’s innovation ecosystem.
The Plaza is now home to more than 70 digital, technology and professional services businesses. New health and wellbeing amenities have been introduced, as well as better, and a variety of spaces to foster collaboration.
A new roof terrace veranda event space has also been added above the entrance, creating a unique elevated space overlooking St Paul’s Square. It is available to both businesses based in the building as well as for private hire.
Work has also been completed on the refurbishment of The Plaza’s seventh floor workspace, offering more opportunities for smaller businesses to join the innovation hub. A previous single occupancy 10,000 sq ft floor has been divided into smaller units.
At the Cotton Exchange there’s a new reception alongside a new contemporary breakout lounge called ‘The Library’. This new working space has been designed to complement the workspaces in the Grade-II listed building, ranging from 200 to 5,000 sq ft.
The final investment completed has seen Cotton House, which is directly joined to Cotton Exchange, undergo a transformation of its last remaining available suite, transforming the 5,000 sq ft space with modern finishes.
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Tony Reed, associate commercial director for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Liverpool is emerging as a prime destination for high-growth and innovative businesses.
“Bruntwood SciTech is invested for the long term into making sure that the city has the workspaces it needs to continue attracting these kinds of businesses.
“Our investments in The Plaza, Cotton Exchange and Cotton House will make sure our spaces continue to encourage collaboration and creativity.”
On Thursday, March 20, the Mersey Makers festival will take place outside The Plaza in. St Paul’s Square, off Old Hall Street, from 10am until 2pm. Free to attend it will feature stalls, entertainment and workshops all on the theme of innovation.
