Work to convert 184 Shepherd’s Bush Road into a global HQ for ‘customer science’ specialists dunnhumby has begun.
The development, which should create 1,000 jobs in Hammersmith, will also see more than £200,000 spent to improve the surrounding area, including Little Brook Green.
Cllr Nicholas Botterill, Hammersmith & Fulham Council Leader, marked the start of works at 184 Shepherds Bush Road yesterday with Mark Powell, of dunnhumby who have signed a 15 year lease to take the entire 115,000 sq ft at the former Access Self Storage facility.
Earlier this year H&F Council granted planning consent for a redesign by Collado Collins architects, including a modern three-storey addition and a new glazed roof.
The Grade II listed building, which was built in 1916 and is famous for formerly being a Ford and Citroen garage and showroom, has been an Access Self Storage facility for the last 23 years. Work has now started to convert it into a high quality office space in time for the 1,000-strong dunnhumby team to relocate in 2016.
Mark Powell, of dunnhumby, said: “The opportunity to find a building of real character, in a convenient location, with good sized floor plates where we can influence the design is very rare. We are able to create an office environment here that reflects and supports our company’s vision to help our clients get to know their customers and to build loyalty for a billion people by the year 2020. We look forward to progressing the design and build and establishing ourselves in the borough in 2016.”
Cllr Nicholas Botterill, H&F Council Leader, said: “We are delighted to welcome dunnhumby to the borough and this investment is yet more evidence of Hammersmith town centre’s re-birth.”
Roy Collado, of architects Collado Collins, said: “So often we architects get to create brand new buildings, but there is a huge sense of achievement when you can create a new life for a famous old building and this is what we are doing here.”
