Lazari, the privately-owned property investment and development company, has secured Avison Young, the leading UK commercial real estate agent, at The Met Building in Fitzrovia.
Avison Young has taken 41,130 sq ft of space and is consolidating its two London offices at Gresham Street and Regent Street into a single UK headquarters in Fitzrovia.
The Met Building, developed by Lazari, is a reimaged building in Fitzrovia, putting people, wellness and sustainability at the forefront. The podium-and-tower building totals 119,000 sq ft over 13 storeys, and features The Met Lounge, a communal club lounge facility at the 13th floor with a retractable glass roof and panoramic views, providing stunning facilities available exclusively for tenants to host private dinners, events and corporate hospitality. There is also a series of best in class “end of trip”, outdoor terraces.
Enviably located, The Met Building, designed to appeal to corporates and creatives, sits at the intersection of London neighbourhoods Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury, Soho and Covent Garden, while Tottenham Court Road and the Elizabeth Line are a four minute walk.
Wellbeing is achieved through people-focused and biophilic design. The building features touchless tech, advanced air ionisation, circadian lighting, high tech filtered water, WELL certified air filtration, an outdoor terrace, plus mingling areas for human interaction.
The Met Building is built on sustainable principles, delivering design with the planet in mind. The approach to reuse and refurbishment emits 40% less carbon, and achieves better efficiency. Features including flexible and localised building management systems, energy recovery back into the building, ionisation to improve indoor air quality and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) heating and cooling, reducing energy output by 50%. An ambition to reach carbon zero by 2035 is supported by low carbon tech, 60% recovery of exhaust air heat, less water waste and low energy LEDs.
Adrian Crooks, Head of Leasing at Lazari, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Avison Young to our portfolio and are excited to be a part of their growth journey. Their decision to take a long lease of 41,130 sq ft for their new headquarters is a testament to the quality and strategic location of The Met Building.
“Situated in the heart of London, The Met offers unparalleled access to key business districts, transportation hubs, and amenities. Additionally, our commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly practices ensures that Avison Young will be operating in a space that aligns with their own values. We look forward to a successful partnership and are confident that this move will bring tremendous value to both Avison Young and our community.”
Nick Walkley, UK President and Principal, Avison Young, said: “A lease expiry in June next year on our Gresham Street office allowed us the opportunity to find a new UK headquarters that fully reflected the business Avison Young is today in 2024 and going forward.
“The Met Building allows us the both the right space and configuration to work together – collaboratively between teams and with our clients, and demonstrates the potential of careful and creative retrofit projects to repurpose assets so that they are fit for future use.
“As well as allowing us to bring all our London service lines under one roof, which for us is paramount to our ongoing success collaborating on projects for our clients, the building also allows our staff to benefit from London’s culture and leisure scene and exemplary connectivity and transport links. This prime location will give us the cachet to attract new talent to the business.”
Lazari was advised by Edward Charles and Knight Frank.
