The joint venture partners behind the under-construction City of London office space tower known as the Walkie-Talkie have confirmed 117,336 sq ft of new lettings at the site.
Developers Land Securities and the Canary Wharf Group make up the joint venture and the commitment to occupy offices at the 20 Fenchurch Street tower has come from two subsidiaries of the same Boston-based insurance giant.
Liberty Syndicates and Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe have signed up to take 66,321 sq ft and 51,015 sq ft respectively at the Walkie-Talkie, which is scheduled for completion in a little over a year’s time.
The lettings take what looks set to become one of the most eye-catching office buildings in London to more than 50 per cent pre-let. Liberty Syndicates plans to settle its staff on floors 21-23 of the building, while Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe is to be based across floors 10-12.
“We are delighted to be able to consolidate our London offices,” said Nick Metcalf, president and managing director of Liberty Syndicates. “20 Fenchurch Street is an iconic building and still enables us to be close to Lloyd’s and our brokers and clients.”
Lloyd’s of London is one of the oldest and most important insurance markets in the world and it is located in the same district of the City of London as 20 Fenchurch Street.
Kaela Fenn-Smith, head of leasing at Land Securities, said on announcing Liberty’s commitment to the Walkie-Talkie: “We continue to see strong interest at 20 Fenchurch Street with over a year to go until completion. Occupiers continue to be drawn to the scheme attracted by the modern and efficient office space in the right location.”
Editor’s Notes: Savills won the contract to manage the distinctive office building that was designed by Uruguayan architect, Rafael Viñoly.
The building was completed in the Spring of 2014, with its 3-floor ‘Sky Garden‘ – London’s highest garden, opening the following January, and was purchased by Hong Kong food company, Lee Kum Kee Groups in July 2017 from Land Securities Group.
By 2017, all of the office space at the property was let with other leases signed by insurance companies, Markel, RSA Group, Ascot Underwriting, Tokio Marine Kiln, CNA Financial, Allied World, CGI Inc, and Harry Townsend Corp, as well as others from other sectors, for instance, legal services firm, DWF.
In 2023, part of the 15th floor was available to rent by way of a contracted-out sublease from one of the existing tenants. The measurement of the available office space was 7,739 square feet and is already fitted out to a high quality with open-plan workstations and meeting room facilities.