A London Landmark is Slated for Redevelopment

A London Landmark is Slated for Redevelopment

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The century-old, former government building Admiralty Arch before its development into an exclusive hotel and apartments.

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John Stillwell/Admiralty Arch

LONDON — The views from the roof of Admiralty Arch, one of London’s best-known landmarks, are breathtaking. In each direction is a magnificent vista that includes one or more of the city’s iconic sights, from Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, to Buckingham Palace and Nelson’s Column.

“You can even see a glimpse of the rose garden at the prime minister’s residence in Downing Street,” said Andrew Damonte, a consultant specializing in historic interiors.

Mr. Damonte was taking me on a tour of the century-old former government building before it is developed into an exclusive hotel and apartments.

Admiralty Arch is an enduring symbol of early 20th-century Britain and possibly one of the most imposing memorials ever constructed. The building was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother, Queen Victoria, who died in 1901, and was completed in 1912 after the king’s own death.

Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation procession passing through Admiralty Arch in 1953. The building was commissioned by King Edward VII in memory of his mother, Queen Victoria.

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Hulton Archive/Getty Images

It was used initially as quarters and offices for the British admiralty and, later, for wider government services. The official nature of Admiralty Arch means that, to date, few members of the public have been granted permission to enter, but that will soon change. The site was sold by the British government in 2012, on a 250-year lease, to Prime Investors Capital, a London-based development firm. The company’s plan to turn it into a hotel with residences means the public will have open access for the first time.

“For a hundred years, this building was a place where a high-level decisions were made,” said Rafael Serrano, chief executive of Prime Investors Capital. “It will no longer just be for the privileged.”

Mr. Serrano has a personal passion for the project but also feels a sense of responsibility for developing such a prominent historic monument. “The arch was built as an act of love from Edward VII to his mother and encapsulates all the life and culture of London,” he said. “We need to respect the past, to preserve it for the present.”

The architect of the arch was Sir Aston Webb, who also designed the Victoria and Albert Museum and remodeled the east facade of Buckingham Palace. The stately neo-Classical structure, built in Portland stone, comprises two separate wings joined by a chain of five arches. The structure spans the start of The Mall, the long road linking Trafalgar Square with Buckingham Palace. The arches are designed in pairs of different sizes, to accommodate road and pedestrian traffic, though the central arch is closed off by iron gates and used exclusively for ceremonial processions.

An interior staircase. The architect of the arch was Sir Aston Webb, who also designed the Victoria and Albert Museum and remodeled the east facade of Buckingham Palace.

Credit
John Stillwell/Admiralty Arch

The building is unusual in having a wing of four stories on the north side and five stories on the south side, with both appearing the same height. This trick of the eye was achieved by the inclusion of higher ceilings in the North Wing, where the residence of the First Sea Lord of the British fleet was located. The arched section also has two upper stories, called bridging floors, with dramatic views directly along The Mall to Buckingham Palace on one side and over Trafalgar Square on the other. This will be the location of the hotel’s bar and restaurant.

A further two basement levels offer an underground warren of small service passages, former staff recreation rooms and archive stores. This area will become a private members’ club and spa. The building is Grade I listed, which gives the historic structure the highest level of protection and means the original fabric must be unchanged during the upgrading of the facilities.

The North Wing, which will be the location of the new apartments, is the airiest part of the building, with large windows and high ceilings. Until the late 20th century, this wing was the residence for the highest-ranking Admiralty personnel, and previous occupants have included Sir Winston Churchill and Lord Louis Mountbatten. The sale of the apartments has not yet begun, but the project has gained publicity from press speculation that there is to be a single, 12-bedroom mansion, with a reported price tag between £135 million, or $177 million, and £150 million.

Mr. Serrano said that would not definitely happen. The current design is of four separate residences for individual purchase, with the possibility of amalgamating the units should a single buyer appear.

Apartments will range from 158 square meters, or 1,700 square feet, to 660 square meters, with two to five bedrooms. Residents will also be lucky enough to have access to the private roof terraces with some of the finest views in London.

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