A prime Cardiff office building has undergone another multi-million-pound revamp as it reports strong occupier interest.
Hodge House, in the city centre, has benefitted from a £7m refurbishment in a second phase upgrade from its owner in financial services giant L&G.
Last year L&G completed a £10m refurbishment and re-branding of the 110,000 sq ft, eight-storey Grade II listed building.
The last investment has remodelled the ground floor with a new reception area and an open plan coffee lounge with meeting areas, break out spaces and facilities.
As with the first phase, architect Stride Treglown was commissioned to design and deliver the transformation, with the works undertaken by Paramount Interiors.
Knight Frank and Fletcher Morgan are joint letting agents for Hodge House.
The building is currently around 30% let with the fifth and sixth floors occupied. There is advanced interest on letting around a further 20,000 sq ft and early stage interest in an additional 25,000 sq ft.
Broadband provider Ogi recently signed a 10-year lease in the building’s historic 6,187 sq ft ballroom, which has been refurbished to create a head office space for the company with open plan desks, ancillary meeting rooms and office space.
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Other lettings since phase one of the refurbishment work has seen firms including Intelligent Ultrasound, Currrencycloud and Bute Energy taking space.
Mari Stevens, chief marketing officer of Ogi, said: “Our aim is to become one of Wales’s leading broadband companies. As such we were looking for a high-profile HQ in Cardiff. Hodge House provides the ideal balance between character and heritage and the future-tech nature of our brand.
"By creating jobs in Cardiff and beyond we hope to create an economic impact that ripples right across South Wales, just as our ultrafast broadband network spreads too.”
John James of Fletcher Morgan said: “Ogi joins AI imaging specialist Intelligent Ultrasound and fintech company Currencycloud
in the building, which is the first in Wales to achieve a wired certified gold rating for its digital connectivity and infrastructure.
“We have seen a marked increase in office enquiries and viewings since the start of the year with innovative refurbishment of Hodge House standing out from the crowd.”
Matt Phillips, head of the Cardiff office of Knight Frank, said: “The landlord’s decision to repurpose ground floor office suites into a very high quality communal business space gives superb additional facilities for tenants and embraces the more flexible style of office working which has arisen as a result of the pandemic, providing facilities that encourage occupiers to meet, collaborate, unwind and relax.”
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Olivia Wood, Hodge House asset manager for Legal & General, said: “We are delighted with the refurbishment of Hodge House. It represents our drive to create the best quality product aimed at meeting our occupiers’ needs whilst putting ESG (environmental, social and governance) at the forefront.
"Hodge House allows us to be flexible and the newly-created coffee lounge provides an impressive area for our occupiers to meet, host events and engage with others in the building.”