The Tower, Meridian Quay is a residential tower in Swansea, Wales. It is the tallest building in Wales. Standing at 107 m (351 ft), Meridian Quay is the only skyscraper in Wales (buildings over 100 m tall) and one of several high-rises in Swansea.[1]

Initially known as Ferrara Tower, it was part of the £50 million Meridian Quay housing and office development project.[2] A planning application for the £40 million building was approved in 2003[3] and construction work began in 2006.[4] On 26 January 2008, one of the construction workers died after falling three storeys from the tower.[5] The construction company, Carillion, chose not to release his name. A fire broke out on the 20th floor of the tower in April 2008 and took 45 minutes to extinguish.[4] The tower was "topped-out" to its full height on 12 September 2008.[citation needed]

The tower has 29 storeys, double the number of the previous tallest building in Swansea, the BT Tower. Most of the tower houses residential apartments. The ground floor has a concierge desk which is staffed 24 hours a day, whilst the top three floors form the Grape and Olive restaurant run by the Brains Brewery.[6] This was opened following the unsuccessful 290 cover Penthouse restaurant. In 2008, it was reported that the penthouse apartment on the 26th floor was sold for £1 million.[7]

Gallery

  • Tower under construction, January 2008
    Tower under construction, January 2008
  • Tower under construction, March 2008
    Tower under construction, March 2008
  • Tower under construction, May 2008
    Tower under construction, May 2008
  • Tower topping-out, September 2008
    Tower topping-out, September 2008
  • Tower from the breakwater during high tide, September 2010
    Tower from the breakwater during high tide, September 2010

References

  1. ^ "Meridian Quay". Skyscrapernews. Archived from the original on 4 February 2010 – via Internet Archive.
  2. ^ Atkinson, David (21 June 2008). "An 'ugly lovely town'". Financial Times. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Tower set to dominate city". BBC News: Wales. 19 September 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b Dalling, Robert; Dowrick, Molly (29 December 2019). "The chequered past of Wales' tallest building". Wales Online. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Tower builder fall man critical". BBC News. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
  6. ^ SA Brains website Archived 27 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Property view from around Wales". BBC News. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2024.

External links

Media related to The Tower, Meridian Quay at Wikimedia Commons 51°36′50″N 3°56′36″W / 51.6139°N 3.9432°W / 51.6139; -3.9432