City Of London: Skyscraper As Tall As The Shard Planned
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
A skyscraper the same height as The Shard is being planned for London.
These are the first three paragraphs.
One Undershaft would reach 74-storeys, according to revised plans submitted to City of London Corporation.
The amended proposals include a new stepped design instead of a previous rectangular shape, with the building initially receiving approval in 2016.
A public consultation has taken place on the proposals, which would see London’s highest public viewing gallery at the top of the skyscraper.
This Google Map shows the site.
Note.
- One Undershaft is indicated by the red arrow.
- The Gherkin is next door.
- This web page shows the architect’s visualisation.
I don’t think it will a sore thumb like The Shard, which intrudes into so many London views.
The Anonymous Widower 
Although it doesn’t compare with the long term vs current occupation rates of offices in American cities like New York and San Francisco you have to wonder about the economics of property developments when London’s current unoccupied space amounts to 9.4%, getting on for double what it was pre pandemic. Given that valuations in Real Estate Investment Trusts are significantly down compared to 2019, it really doesn’t make much sense to me.
Comment by fammorris | February 5, 2024 |
As someone, who hasn’t regularly used offices, since I left ICI in 1972 and have generally worked from home since, I tend to agree with you.
But there seem to be companies out there, who like to battery-cage their workers.
Perhaps, thirty years ago, a piece of software I wrote was used by a US company to process all the drug interactions reported from all over the world.
The work was actually done by a lady working from home, who had a number of computers working more or less continuously.
The company was taken over and the new boss, said that everybody should come into the office everyday.
She resigned immediately and I never heard from her again!
I do think however, that other property companies are learning how to use office properly in this time of hybrid working.
What British Land are doing with Euston Tower is very different.
Comment by AnonW | February 5, 2024 |