Citigroup is searching for a second office in Belfast, having just purchased its main premises in the city.
The bank has appointed Cushman & Wakefield to explore the area for an additional 100,000 sq ft-plus office to let.
It is understood that it has already shortlisted several options. Buildings under consideration include The Sixth, a 230,000 sq ft redevelopment owned in a joint venture by Belfast City Council and local developer McAleer & Rushe; Wirefox’s 185,000 sq ft the Paper Exchange scheme, and Castlebrook Investments’ Tribeca Belfast, a £500m development planned for the city centre.
Citi currently occupies 133,000 sq ft at the Gateway building, which it bought in April from from Titanic Quarter (pictured). The price was not disclosed but the office had been on the market for £34m.
Citi had previously rented the Gateway since 2009.
Take-up in the Belfast office market totalled 106,799 sq ft in the first quarter, in line with the five-year rolling average, according to CBRE.
The quarter saw Deloitte leasing 100,000 sq ft at McAleer & Rushe’s new development on Bedford Street.
Last year, PwC announced plans to take up 155,000 sq ft at Oakland Holdings’ new Merchant Square development when it is completed, while the Department of Finance took on 150,000 sq ft at Causeway Asset Management’s Nine Lanyon Place.
Citi and Cushman & Wakefield declined to comment.
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