St. Pancras Station, built in 1868, is now set for a new lease of life with the conversion of the original building into exclusive luxury apartments, with the living space being increased considerably by the installation of mezzanine flooring in several areas.
An excellent example of Victorian architecture at its most flamboyant, and retaining many of the period features, the top five floors of the original station, and part of the Grade 1 Midland Grand Hotel which adjoins the station, have been transformed into sixty-seven individually designed and unique apartments.
One of the most stunning apartments is that which incorporates the main access tower to the station clock, creating a living area with ceilings ten metres high. The addition of balconies and mezzanine floors has created a bedroom and bathroom over four metres high, resulting in a spectacular apartment which still adheres to the strict standards required by English Heritage for listed buildings. Although the apartment is privately owned, the view is so spectacular, offering a panoramic scene over the station and surrounding area, that the owner has been persuaded to hire out his home for private receptions, dinner parties and art exhibitions.
Originally constructed as the London terminus of the Midland Railway to connect the capital with the East Midlands and Yorkshire, St. Pancras was expanded during the early 2000s at a cost of over £800 million, creating a terminal for the Eurostar service to Paris and Brussels which was officially opened by the Queen in 2007.
