Introducing 8 Eaton Lane
The restoration of an historic, Grade II listed Belgravia address
Unveiled recently by developers CIT, 8 Eaton Lane is a prominent part of the original Grosvenor Estate, and it will be undergoing a meticulous restoration and rebuild to become a collection of 42 residences and seven retail units. The original façade of the building, overlooking Grosvenor Gardens, will be fully restored, with contemporary new build apartments set behind, facing onto Eaton Lane.
The Grade II listed building dates back to 1863 with an illustrious history as one of Belgravia’s prime addresses. Commissioned by the Marquess of Grosvenor, 8 Eaton Lane was first conceived as Belgrave Mansions, a private residential building with a number of boutiques at ground level. Home to many notable families of the time, Belgrave Mansions was developed around the continental idea of ‘Hôtel Meubles’; urban, centrally-located, serviced residences, the very first example of this style of living in London.
8 Eaton Lane also has strong ties to the grand European mansion houses of the 19th century thanks to its beautifully ornate façade. The building’s architect Thomas Cundy III, who was a close peer of ‘the builder of Belgravia’ Thomas Cubitt, drew significant inspiration from the Parisian styles of the French Second Empire and the New Louvre. Details such as the striking roof mansards, lavish stone dressing and ‘oeil-de-boeuf’ windows evoke a highly decorative European aesthetic. In 1921, the building was reimagined as the Belgrave Hotel until the '30s, when it was used as office space and named Grosvenor Gardens House.
We are delighted to be the architects for this fantastic project, working in collaboration once again with interior architecture and design studio, Millier London, to deliver ‘exquisite spaces that marry the French renaissance architectural detail with an elegant, classically British sensibility.’
‘We are honoured to be ushering this incredibly special building into a new era as 8 Eaton Lane, whilst returning it back to its original use as a sought-after private address. Finding a site with genuine, authentic history is rare and 8 Eaton Lane will offer future residents the unique cachet of living within one of the original buildings of the Grosvenor Estate, alongside the very best in contemporary living.
Chris Richmond, Head of Residential at CIT
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