Stanhope

The 94-year-old Regent Palace Hotel is being demolished and redeveloped as part of the Crown Estate's plans to create a new identity for Regent Street.

Meeting the strict conditions imposed by heritage and planning bodies was the key to unlocking the development potential of this prominent Piccadilly site.  The 1000-bedroom hotel will be replaced by seven floors of offices, a ground floor incorporating shops and nine residential units.

The hotel is a Grade II listed building, largely because of the quality of its art deco interiors.  Half its historic facades are being repaired and retained, while four glamorous 1930s entertainment venues are being completely restored within the redevelopment.  Timber veneer, marble, brass, mirrors, ceilings, even wallpaper, from the Atlantic Bar & Grill, Titanic Restaurant, Dick's Bar and Chez Cup, have been carefully stripped from the building and labelled so the rooms can be put back together again like a jigsaw.

A high-tech energy centre to service the wider Regent Street Quadrant block will be installed on one of three basement levels.  The energy centre will be powered by a cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cell - the same technology used to power space shuttles. The cell works by turning natural gas into hydrogen and emits little more than air, making it a highly environmentally-friendly option.  This project aims to set a new benchmark for sustainable central London development.

 A new pedestrianised arcade, named Glasshouse Walk, will link the south-west end of Denman Street to Glasshouse Street, bringing new vibrancy to this part of Piccadilly.