Belfast Harbour has announced that Bank of America has officially leased the remainder of available space in waterfront office development City Quays 3, as well a separate office in the City Quays 1 building. With the deal complete, all 15 office floors in City Quays 3 are now fully occupied.
Last year, Bank of America announced plans to create a key hub in Northern Ireland, with up to 1,000 new roles supporting multiple areas, starting with Anti-Money Laundering operations.
The US financial giant will lease the remaining four and a half floors in City Quays 3 totalling 58,000 sq ft, joining leading companies such as TP ICAP, Aflac, Bauer Media and Santander. During the fit-out phase, the Bank of America team will be based across 23,000 sq ft of serviced office in City Quays 1.
City Quays is a contemporary, sustainable, waterfront development that includes commercial offices, retail, cafe, restaurant and multi-storey car parking, as well as the AC by Marriott hotel and City Quays Gardens. Completed in 2022, the £50m City Quays 3 offers Grade A office space with a BREEAM Excellent sustainability rating.
Belfast Harbour is committed to creating vibrant communities for people to live and work, recently announcing details of its 2050 Masterplan, which includes £1.3bn investment in port infrastructure, as well as £500-£750m investment in property, subject to commercial partnerships. The Masterplan is already well underway with the first stage detailed in the port’s Advance Regional Prosperity strategy, which runs until 2030.
Planning permission has already been granted for the City Quays 4 residential scheme and City Quays 5 mixed-use office scheme, and a planning application has been submitted for the £222m Clarendon Wharf residential development in the area.
Joe O’Neill, Chief Executive at Belfast Harbour, said: “We’re delighted that Bank of America has chosen City Quays 3 as their base in Northern Ireland, and that we have been able to assist them in their employment ramp up through the provision of serviced office space in the adjoining City Quays 1 office.
“With City Quays 3 now standing fully let, our community is thriving, and it is clear that our Grade A facilities with excellent ESG credentials, supported by our dedicated Belfast Harbour Police service, is an attractive proposition for large blue-chip organisations. We have exciting future plans for the development with planning secured for City Quays 4 and 5, as well as wider commitments detailed in our Advance Regional Prosperity strategy, and our 2050 Masterplan. Belfast Harbour remains fully committed to fostering a vibrant, inclusive community for everyone who lives and works across the Harbour estate, and continuing to play our part in driving Foreign Direct Investment in the region.”
Patty Clement, Global Anti-Money Laundering Operations Executive, Bank of America, said: “The offices at City Quays 3 will provide a strong base for our Northern Ireland operation. Belfast is an important hub for our business, and this investment reflects our confidence in the region’s exceptional talent, strong skills base and long-term potential. We remain committed to responsible growth as we continue to invest in our people, strengthen our presence and contribute to the local economy and community.”
Lambert Smith Hampton acted for Belfast Harbour and CBRE NI acted for Bank of America on the deal.