The Scalpel - 52 Lime Street, City of London

Awarded the first ever design stage certificate under the BREEAM UK New Construction 2014 scheme. Gleeds acted as employer's agent and cost manager on this iconic development. 

As one of the world’s leading insurance holding companies, W R Berkley Corporation commissioned a £215m commercial office tower in a prime location in the City of London. The company was seeking a suitable office to consolidate its London-based operations, whilst creating additional workspace for other corporate businesses.  

The Scalpel is a commercial skyscraper located at 52 Lime Street in the City of London’s insurance district. The spectacular 190m tall building will serve to enhance London’s world-renowned skyline and provide high quality, sustainable accommodation for some of the City’s most renowned businesses.

42

storeys covering a total area of 600,000ft2

Advocating sustainable solutions for commercial space

The commercial tower is the first to be certified “excellent” under the 2014 BREEAM standards and incorporates photovoltaic solar panels to the roof, heat recovery on its air handling units, and energy efficient LED lighting throughout. The building provides:

  • 35 floors of office space
  • A public plaza improving the surrounding streetscape
  • Retail and restaurant units
  • Underground cycle amenities

Gleeds was originally appointed to provide cost management and employer’s agent services for the base build. Our extensive experience in commercial developments led to an extension of the appointment, to cost manage both the speculative Category A and WR Berkley’s Category B fit-outs to 5 mid-rise floors.

Working in collaboration to navigate a complex site

Upon assuming responsibility for the day-to-day management of the client consultant operation, Gleeds became embedded in the project team with a full time, site-based presence, allowing us to act as a single point of contact enabling fluid, transparent updates on current and scheduled works and a capability to quickly and efficiently resolve day to day project issues in a collaborative manner.

As a trusted partner to the client, Gleeds quickly navigated the challenges surrounding programme pressures, a constrained site and complex project management activities and was able to ensure issues proactively mitigated.

Office:

London

Speak to us
Paul Sweeney

Paul Sweeney
Regional Director, London