Broad Street office block to come down for The Hundred, a 33-storey tower of 294 rental flats

A five-storey office block at the top of Broad Street is to be demolished to make way for The Hundred, a 33-storey, 100-metre tower of 294 rental flats, after Birmingham City Council gave the go-ahead.

Planning officers approved the demolition of 100 Broad Street on Thursday 5 November, Birmingham Live reported on 10 November. The decision means contractor McAleer and Rushe can now move in to start clearing the site for developer Ropemarker Properties.

Out with the old

The office block, opposite the Five Ways building that is home to Boom Battle Bar and Five Guys, was formally opened on 15 July 1990 by the then Lord Mayor, Councillor Bernard Zissman. Over the years it has been a Birmingham base for Uber and housed a Jobcentre Plus branch, among other businesses.

In recent months, the building has been vandalised, with graffiti and smashed windows facing the tram route along Broad Street. The demolition was originally expected to begin in the autumn and take around 22 weeks.

What The Hundred will offer

Ropemarker Properties first asked the council to sign off on the demolition back in the summer. Once the site is cleared, work will begin on The Hundred, a rent-only development of 294 flats that promises "high-quality and enriched resident amenities". Plans promise "beautifully curated interiors and sculptured gardens and terraces", with around 1,069 square metres of outdoor space.

Residents will also have co-working spaces, lounges, a "movement studio" for yoga and other activities, a room for film screenings and gaming, a gym, and a private dining room and event space for hire.

The developer, Urban Vision, describes it as a "smart" building, which will use technology to monitor air quality, water use and waste. It says this could reduce the building's carbon footprint and running costs for residents. The development's website says completion is expected in 2027.

A changing Broad Street

Broad Street is best known for its bars and nightlife, but the western end around Five Ways has been changing fast, with new homes, hotels and offices replacing older buildings and the Midland Metro now running along the street to Edgbaston.

Build-to-rent towers like The Hundred are part of a wider wave of city centre living in Birmingham, bringing more residents within walking distance of shops, offices and transport. For the people who live and work nearby, it also means a vandalised building will finally be replaced.

The flats will be available to rent rather than buy, and details of rents and how to apply are expected to be published by the developer closer to completion.