Historic Liverpool office building to become hotel

Apart-hotel developer IStay has purchased 17-21 Castle Street for £1.6m.

FRP Advisory is the receiver for the building’s previous owner, Prosperity Castle Street Development. Landwood Group acted for the owner in the deal with IStay.

17-21 Castle Street was placed on the market in January for £1.5m. The building previously offered 14,500 sq ft of office space across five storeys.

Under IStay’s £6m conversion plans, the hotel will have 33 apartments for guests, as well as a lobby, lounge and boutique working area. One of the apartments will be designed for those with disabilities and will be located on the ground floor.

The ground floor will also have a dedicated food and beverage spot.

All of IStay’s apartments will have a bathroom and kitchen area.

Cartwright Pickard designed the new hotel. Construction is set to begin this summer with an anticipated opening date of the second quarter of 2023.

IStay founder and chief executive Ann Chambers described 7-21 Castle Street as a deal that was “impossible for us to pass up”.

“The site itself is visually stunning and culturally and architecturally significant,” Chambers said. “It has been a vital part of planning to ensure that its exterior and internal features are maintained, such as original staircases, the grand opening doors, and external façade elements which make this site unique.”

Chambers went on to describe the future hotel as “something really special”.

“It has come at a busy and productive time for us as a group, and for me personally,” she said.

“My recent successes are moving me forwards to expand, whilst always maintaining standards and consolidating on what iStay Liverpool has already achieved.”

IStay is prominent in the Liverpool hotel scene, operating apart-hotels off Temple Court, Water Street, Bold Street, Rodney Street, Victoria Street, and Duke Street.