Plans to transform Nottingham’s former Central Library building into a flexible workspace for creative businesses are set to take a step forward.
The City Council is ready to appoint an architect and design team to oversee the fit-out of the building on Angel Row, in an exciting project which will see the historic frontage retained and 1,200 square metres of space turned into a new creative hub with flexible workspace.
The move comes as work gets underway to create a modern Central Library in the new building that also houses the Broad Marsh Car Park and Bus Station, as part of the redevelopment of the whole of the Broad Marsh area as a revitalised gateway to the city.
The Angel Row scheme is being funded from the Government’s Future High Streets Fund, following a successful bid for £12.5m by the council announced last summer. The funding will also go towards strengthening pedestrian routes between cultural and tourist attractions in this part of the city centre.
The successful architect and design team will be asked to produce the designs for the building to become a new centre for innovation and collaboration for Nottingham-based enterprise. The new venue will look to provide exhibition and gallery space, studios and flexible workspace for the city’s burgeoning creative industry. The design brief also includes publicly accessible ground floor facilities including a café.
City Council Leader, Cllr David Mellen, said: “I’m pleased that at the same time as the fit-out of the new Central Library in the Broad Marsh area is taking place, we’re in a position to move on to the next stage of the Angel Row scheme, which will see an exciting new creative hub developed in the city centre.
“We are looking for an experienced design team to design the fit-out of the building in a way which can maximise opportunities for innovation and sustainable design into the scheme. Post-Covid, it will be important for this building to offer spaces where people in our growing creative sector can collaborate, work flexibly and engage together.”
Further details for interested parties are available on the council’s procurement portal here: https://procontract.due-north.com/Advert?advertId=ccd4ac0a-002e-ed11-8119-005056b64545