Repair of 170-175 High Street West Sunderland

Tender description

170-175 High Street West consists of a highly significant group of 3 properties in a very prominent position on the edge of Sunderland City Centre and within the City Centre High Street West Investment Corridor. They include two listed buildings dating from the 1790s. Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust wish to bring this terrace of 3 buildings back into use 170/1, 172/3 and 174/5. They were originally built as houses in late 1700's, with their ground floors converted to retail/office very early on. 170/1 is in best condition and has two front doors (hence the double number). 172/3 has a different layout as it was converted to a department store by removing the first floor and building back into garden (middle building figure 2), which created a large space. This is now considered critical to significance of the ensemble. 174/5 is not listed, but found to be as old as the other two, which are listed, and also has two front doors (one for shop and one for upper floors). The three buildings are owned Freehold by the TWBPT. They were gifted by Sunderland City Council in February 2018. The aim for the buildings (not a legal obligation) is to bring them back into use, and develop them for cultural use. Since, the TWBPT have made the buildings safe / stable, and have received planning permission for its proposed restoration, which includes a music venue with ancillary café and a record shop, and office/workshop space for cultural companies and artists. The Trust were seen as the 'last option' by the council, if this attempt fails then the buildings could probably be lost. Once restored however, the buildings are expected to be a really necessary and positive addition to the street and help the revitalisation of the area, e.g. by increased footfall, floor space brought back into use, and pride. Funding is expected from two main sources to repair the external fabric of the building and then allow basic use to be brought back to the ground floor.