Here’s some of the ongoing developments helping to make the city a better place in which to live, whilst also aiming to attract people from around the region.
9. Wear Commissioners Building, corner of St Thomas Street and John Street
Finishing touches are being made to a landmark city centre building as it’s transformed into a business centre to help boost the local economy. Situated on the corner of St Thomas Street and John Street, the River Wear Commissioners Building was bought by Adavo Workspace – a company specialising in renovating and retrofitting grandiose old buildings into modern business centres – in March 2019. Following an extensive £3m refurbishment program, the company has transformed the building into a modern, energy efficient state-of-the-art business centre while retaining all of its unique and original features. Photo: Robin Hunter.
10. New seafood restaurant, Seaburn
The team behind the city’s much-loved Mexico 70 and Ship Isis are breathing new life into a disused seafront shelter. They plan to open a high-end seafood restaurant, aimed at appealing to Sunderland residents as well as attracting customers from across the region. Photo: submitted
11. Holiday Inn, Keel Square
The new 120-bed Holiday Inn at Keel Square in Sunderland city centre is being built as part of the Riverside Sunderland development – with the metal frame of the four-storey hotel now in place. Plans for the new £18m hotel were first approved in 2019 when they were brought forward by Cairn Group, with work commencing at the site over the course of last year. Cairn Group’s Richard Warren has revealed that it is now “full steam ahead” to get the construction complete and the hotel open for spring next year. Photo: jpi media
12. Victorian tram shelter, Seaburn
Respected East Boldon deli Blacks Corner have unveiled plans to transform Seaburn’s historic tram shelter. The team behind the award-winning deli and restaurant are working up proposals to bring their farm-to-table experience to the former tram shelter, one of three historic buildings being revamped as part of a £850,000 investment from Sunderland City Council and The Coastal Communities Fund. Blacks Corner founders Jonathan Dryden and Chris Lowden, who launched their high-end South Tyneside bistro and wine bar in 2017, have been revealed as the preferred occupiers of the Seaburn Tram Shelter and will submit proposals to the council for listed building consent. Photo: jpi media