A triple award winning office building — designed to reflect its first occupant’s nautical business connections — is being offered to the market following the merger of its commissioning company.
Salvus House was constructed in 2005 for Sunderland Marine Mutual Insurance from a design by architect Nicholson Nairn. Since then the five-storey, 32,561 sq ft office building on the outskirts of Durham City has won the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Renaissance Award, The Journal newspaper’s Landmark Award and a Construction Excellence Award.
The building, which is 14 miles from the sea, is located on a 1.9-acre Aykley Heads Business Park site and is being offered for sale or lease after the insurer’s merger with the North of England P & I Association (North). Renamed the North Group, its combined 60-strong workforce is being relocated to offices on Newcastle’s Quayside.
The Salvus House negotiations are being handled by Naylors Chartered Surveyors, the largest independent commercial property consultancy in the North-East. “This is a fantastic instruction for Naylors,” commented head of office agency, Simon Taylor. “Salvus House is one of the finest modern office headquarters in the region.
“The property has been designed and built to an exceptional standard with the benefit of a high quality fit-out and bespoke fixtures and fittings,” said Taylor, adding the disposal offered a rare opportunity for companies to enter the Durham office market, “where large modern offices of this calibre are in very limited supply”.
Permission for Salvus House was strictly limited by Durham planners who granted approval only if the development did not exceed the height of surrounding trees and was sympathetic to its setting.
A recent brochure described its design as cleverly reflecting the insurance company’s activities by incorporating a number of nautical features — “The entrance is marked by a four-storey metal-clad structure with riveted detail, in the shape of a ship’s bow with three storey glulam ships prow. The central reception area reflects strong maritime characteristics and some external windows replicate portholes, externally lighting features replicate sea clams.”
Salvus House is being offered for lease at £15 per sq ft. A sale price has not been disclosed.
Story: Cliff Goodwin
Photo: Naylors Chartered Surveyors
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