Canada’s newest skyscraper has another new tenant and it isn’t even built yet
One of the City’s newest skyscrapers on the block has secured another commercial tenant.
Bermuda-based insurance provider Axis Capital have confirmed that they will move into 52 Lime Street, otherwise known as The Scalpel, by 2018.
Insurance broker BPL Global has already bagged the 12th floor in the 35-storey structure, while Axis will take up residence on levels 2 and 3.
The global company has locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore, the Middle East, Canada and Latin America. The UK operation will be moving from their current London base at 60 Great Tower Street.
Mark Gregory, CEO of Axis’s international division, said: “This move speaks to the continued growth of Axis Capital’s UK operations and our deep commitment to the London market.”
The Scalpel is due for completion in December of next year, but developers WRBC say they have already had strong interest from several businesses in the surrounding area.
The building designed by Kohn Pederson Fox, will be 190m tall, just pipping the nearby Gherkin’s 180m, but still well below The Cheesegrater, which stands just across the road at a mighty 225m.
As well as commercial lettings, the development will create a new public square with benches, artwork, and a coffee shop.
Plans for the site's coffee shop are apparently intended to echo the origins of the specialist insurance market, which emerged out of meetings between 17th century merchants in the famous Lloyd’s Coffee House.
And there’s more exciting news for skyscraper enthusiasts: you can watch The Scalpel being built without even stepping foot in Canada, by tuning into the live webcam of the construction process which updates every 15 minutes.