MCR has agreed to purchase BT Tower — one of London’s tallest buildings — from BT Group. MCR will own the 620-foot Tower and podium, encompassing a full London city block, freehold.
MCR intends to secure the future of the iconic Tower — which was opened in 1965 in Fitzrovia, London, and is listed Grade II importance by England’s Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission — by repurposing it as a hotel and opening it up to the public.
MCR will partner with London-based Heatherwick Studio to consider how best to reimagine its use as a hotel.
BT Group will take a number of years to vacate the premises, due to the scale and complexity of the work to move technical equipment, and there will be significant time for design development and engagement with local communities before proposals are revealed.
The BT Tower is a Grade II listed communications tower sitting above a podium, located between Cleveland Street, Maple Street, Cleveland Mews and Howland Street in Fitzrovia, London. The main structure is 581 feet high, with a further section of aerial rigging bringing the total height to 620 feet. Upon completion in 1964, it overtook the Millbank Tower to become the tallest structure in London until 1980, when it was overtaken by the NatWest Tower. As well as acting as a hub for the UK’s communication networks, BT Tower was open to the public until 1971, with a restaurant making use of the revolving top floor. Since 1984, BT Tower has been operated by BT Group, with its top floor regularly hosting corporate and charity events, and its iconic “infoband” screen regularly displaying messages across London.