Birmingham-based property developer, Cordia Blackswan has appointed contractor, Kavannagh Construction to deliver the refurbishment of The Gothic.

Occupying a 0.5-acre site at 1-4 Hampton Street, The Gothic is Cordia Blackswan’s leading project which will see the refurbishment of three derelict buildings into 50 high quality apartments and duplexes.  The site is home to the former the Quality Works jewellery factory and the Grade II listed The Gothic Inn, which dates back to 1870.

While the homes at The Gothic will offer contemporary living spaces and high specifications throughout, Cordia Blackswan is enhancing many of the Victorian-era features and stylings that characterise the buildings, including fireplaces, beams and windows.

The Gothic will be delivered in three phases of 14, 16 and 20 units, with a combination of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments. The first phase is due for completion in 2022, with the works undertaken by experienced Birmingham-based firm, Kavannagh Construction.

Marcus Hawley, Managing Director at Cordia Blackswan, said: “The Gothic is our leading development and we are hugely excited to be bringing this unique residential offering forward. With their wealth of experience, Kavannagh is the perfect partner to help us realise this vision and bring life to The Gothic.

“This is a unique location between the Jewellery Quarter and Colmore Business District and our vision for The Gothic is to deliver homes that are just as unique, characterful and appealing.

“As part of our placemaking-led approach, we are committed to look beyond the borders of our sites and see how we can make a positive impact on the wider community. Working with the Jewellery Quarter BID we will begin to reverse the under-investment that Great Hampton Street has suffered over the years, transforming this key arterial route into an appealing, contemporary urban setting for local people to enjoy for years to come.

“We see massive potential in the Jewellery Quarter which continues to be one of the city’s most attractive residential areas, with some of Birmingham’s best bars, restaurants and retail locations on the doorstep.”

Aiden O’Gara at Kavannagh Construction, said: “The Gothic represents a fantastic opportunity for Birmingham, and our team are very excited to be helping  realise the Cordia Blackswan concept and bring these beautiful period buildings back to life.”

Alongside the homes, the Gothic will feature a range of commercial spaces at ground floor, for independent retail and hospitality businesses.

Marcus continued: “Our development ethos is to always consider the wider impacts that sites have on their surroundings. Through conversion of the ground floor to commercial units we can support Birmingham’s fantastic independent sector and stimulate additional footfall to the area.”

The architects for the project are BPN, with project management services provided by PMP Consultants, and CDM delivering health and safety consultancy.

Following Cordia Groups acquisition of Blackswan Property in 2020, Cordia entered the UK market as Cordia Blackswan and outlined an ambitious expansion strategy for UK as the group continues to strengthen its position in Hungary, Romania, Spain and Poland.