Howard Holdings, The Exchange, Croydon
The refurbishment of a former telephone exchange has brought Croydon a surprising injection of stylish, urban living.
The borough’s first and only loft-style warehouse flats, available with one, two and three bedrooms, are spread over the four floors of the original building. Two more floors will be added later to create more apartments and a penthouse option.
Located within easy reach of Croydon's centre, the development is framed by the famous Royal Charter-protected Surrey Street Market, and a Grade II-listed pump house.
High rise
Generously proportioned, the flats offer decent-sized rooms, some of which will house the building's original columns and other architectural features to give it a bit of extra character.
But the building's piece de resistance is almost certainly its soaring ceilings, which rise to 12 feet throughout, and will let you think in cubic rather than square metres. This feature has been seized upon by the company's marketing crew, who brought in the UK's tallest man - former England basketballer Christopher Greener who comes in at a whopping 7'5" - to display the building's lofty elevations to its best advantage.
Rather than carpeting, the building's original wooden floors will be restored, complete with under-floor heating. The smart Neff kitchens come in a fairly broad spectrum of colours, ranging from black to red, while coffee maker units and extra lighting is on offer for those hankering for an upgrade. And for the eco-conscious, the apartments are ranked 'Very Good' on the EcoHomes rating scale. Extra storage is available for residents in the basement.
Rail hub
At less than a five-minute walk away from East Croydon station, the development is ideally situated for commuters, who can reach Victoria, London Bridge and Gatwick Airport in less than 20 minutes. The expansion of the East London line, due for completion in 2010, will link West Croydon with London's Underground, while the town's Tramlink services areas under served by the tube and runs routes from Wimbledon to East Croydon, Beckenham Junction and New Addington.
Unfortunately, car parking isn't automatically provided for residents at The Exchange, although Howard Holdings is confident that it will be able come to a separate arrangement with Surrey Street car park for residents with wheels.
The Croydon facelift
Croydon is set to get 3,000 new homes over the next few years as part of a plan to regenerate the area, and a substantial, much-needed injection of funds - £2 billion to be precise. There are plans to build a 12,500-seat arena-based commercial and residential scheme, and John Lewis may soon be joining the likes of Debenhams, House of Fraser and TigerTiger on Croydon's high street. Croydon’s regeneration plans are so ambitious that the borough is being dubbed London’s potential ‘Third City’.
The Exchange itself is set to become the centrepiece in the creation of Croydon's 'cultural quarter', which will give the town an art gallery, a jazz cafe and a range of boutique-style shops. The marketing literature is currently touting Croydon as south London's 'mini Manhattan' - a slight exaggeration, as anyone who has visited Croydon will agree.
But don't let the marketing hyperbole put you off - this sturdy little development should really enhance the area, rather than lend it a set of pretensions to which the area is both unused to and unsuitable for.
Splash the cash
With prices starting at £210,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, it isn’t cheap for the area. But for first-time buyers who want a slice of South London living, and have been priced out of Balham and Clapham, this could well be their solution. And if the improvement of amenities and local transport links push the prices up to an estimated £400-450 per square foot, you've got yourself a tidy return on your investment.
Check out The Exchange website for more information, or telephone 0800 012 1370.
By Natalia Gameson
This article was published on 6 March 2007