Member Article

North East property firms reach ‘fever pitch’ over new offices

Two of the region’s leading property organisations have moved their growing teams in to a Newcastle based Grade II listed building, originally used as a fever hospital in the early 19th century.

RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) North East and The Hanro Group - a North East based property investment and development group - have taken residence in Citygate House, situated on Bath Lane, in the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Formerly known as the ‘House of Recovery’, past records reveal the hospital was always overcrowded with patients suffering from cholera, typhoid and smallpox, leading to locals nicknaming it the ‘House of Numbers.’

The RICS team moved from its offices at Northumbria University, whilst Hanro relocated from Percy House in Newcastle after commissioning Ryder Architecture to refurbish what is now known as Citygate House.

Citygate House offers ten high specification, contemporary offices across three floors, with the original Georgian architecture and many of the historic features of the hospital remaining intact.

The RICS North East team occupies the ground floor of the building, with Hanro situated on the first floor.

Managing Director at Hanro, Adam Serfontein, said: “The departure of the last tenant in the building - Home Group Housing Association - had led to the property becoming vacant for a considerable amount of time and unfortunately it suffered from obsolescence and vandalism.

“We wanted to secure a future for this historic building whilst maintaining its past, and we are delighted to have achieved this. It will certainly help the area’s ongoing regeneration.”

Acting RICS Regional Director (North & Midlands), Vickki Hampson, said: “We’re really pleased to have moved in to such a stunning building with a unique past.

“It has given us much more space to accommodate our growing team, whilst offering local chartered surveyors the use of our improved facilities. It’s great to have a progressive company like Hanro sharing the offices with us too.”