The redevelopment at 75 Davies Street will deliver 94,000 sq ft of office space across seven floors while shops and the busy London Underground station below remain operational throughout construction.
Designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the scheme will almost double the building’s existing office provision by adding three new floors.
The late-1970s structure will be partially stripped back and rebuilt, with around 60% of the existing concrete frame retained to reduce embodied carbon and support the project’s sustainability goals.
A lightweight steel frame will be installed from second-floor level upwards due to the complex network of tunnels beneath the site, which limits loading capacity and foundation options.
McLaren Construction will need to carefully coordinate the works with Transport for London while protecting services running through the interchange for the Central, Jubilee and Elizabeth lines.
Retail units will continue trading during the build, requiring phased demolition, off-peak working, vibration monitoring, protected pedestrian routes and enhanced wayfinding measures.
The upgraded building is targeting high sustainability and wellness standards, including NABERS 5-star, BREEAM Excellent, EPC A and WELL Enabled certifications.
Darren Gill, managing director for London & South at McLaren Construction, said the technical challenges involved — including structural reuse, maintaining commercial operations and building above major rail infrastructure — are becoming increasingly common as Oxford Street evolves through retrofit-led development rather than wholesale demolition.
The contract adds to McLaren’s portfolio of complex West End infrastructure-adjacent projects, including schemes above the Bank, Angel, Oxford Circus and Victoria transport networks.
Construction is scheduled to complete in the first quarter of 2029.