What is love? It’s a buzzing rental site in Blackwall, says fitness guru George Crook
F45 Blackwall... latest addition to globally-recognised fitness studio started in Australia set to move to Republic complex in Blackwall. Picture: Trilogy Real Estate - Credit: Trilogy Real Estate
Fitness studio boss George Crook just fell in love with a new office rental complex when he stepped off the DLR train at Blackwall.
Republic complex in Blackwall that F45 fitness guru George Crook fell ion love with. Picture: Trilogy - Credit: Trilogy Real Estate
The complex occupying Tower Hamlets Council's former Anchorage House, now renamed Republic, was just what he dreamed of finding.
He immediately signed a lease for a 2,130sq ft space with new owners Trilogy Real Estate and LaSalle's, adding "Blackwall" to the name of his F45 fitness business.
"We fell in love with the complex the second we stepped off the platform at East India DLR," George reveals.
"The incredible architecture and buzz about the area was everything we had been looking for.
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"It was clear we both spoke the same language in our first meeting with Trilogy about the benefits of building a community and supporting new businesses."
Gentlemen Baristas cafe... one of the first to move into Republic business complex. Picture: Ranson & West - Credit: Ranson & West
The 600,000sq ft Republic redevelopment which took over when the council moved out three years ago was set up as a low-cost lettings campus for businesses trying to escape exorbitant City and West End rents.
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They began flooding in early last year, singing contracts for the "next generation" of east London's Docklands rejuvenation.
One of the first tenants was Threepipe digital agency, shifting its 80 staff from Covent Garden to the campus.
Co-founder Jim Hawker said at the time: "Ridiculous rents and rates have forced us to look elsewhere. We can now spend our hard-earned money on things other than rent and rates."
Other prestige names included Gentlemen Baristas café, the Horticulture restaurant with its on-site market garden, Hadley accountancy and Deliveroo's East London recruitment hub.
Horticulture restaurant... an early tenant at Republic business complex in Blackwall. Picture: Matt Chisnal - Credit: Matt Chisnal
Trilogy Real Estate has also announced two more lettings deal this week.
Global Banking School, specialising in applied education in finance and banking management, is taking 6,015sq ft for its second London location. The 'Your Parking Space' online parking platform is moving operations to a 2,766sq ft unit, from its original start-up site at Canary Wharf's Level 39.
The three new lettings this week mean the complex with its flexible workspace for businesses of 22 to 76 employees is now half occupied. The second phase of its redevelopment, another 120,000sq ft of flexi workspace, is nearing completion and ready to open in the New Year.
