For the first time, The Royal Gazette was given an inside look at Brookfield House, the new office and retail development rising on Front Street.

The tour, led by Charlie Howe, vice-president, investments, Brookfield Asset Management, offered a glimpse into the building’s progress and the company’s vision for the structure.

The nine-storey block, which began pre-leasing in March, marked its topping-out ceremony in May with the placement of the final steel beam.

Brookfield House will be Bermuda’s first multi-tenant office building with the Leed Platinum certification - the top rating for sustainable buildings.

Construction began after the demolition of the previous structure in early 2024 and should be completed in June 2026.

The only other property with the Leed Gold certification in Bermuda is the Chubb Building. It had previously achieved Leed Gold certification but was recertified to the top status in December 2019.

Mr Howe explained the building’s layout as the group moved through the site, beginning at the Reid Street entrance.

“We’re oriented towards Front Street and the water but, given the grade change, this floor is actually two floors higher, so we’re entering on to the second floor, which is a full office floor and the parking garage here,” he said.

The ground floor will feature retail space and the main lobby. The upper floors are designed for office tenants, each with spacious outdoor terraces overlooking the waterfront. Given the building’s height, the higher stories will have a water-only view, unique to offices on Front Street.

Brookfield House will be the new global headquarters for Brookfield Reinsurance and its affiliates. The project includes 55,000 sq ft of office space and 3,000 sq ft of retail.

“The 35,000 sq ft is what's available between floors four to eight and the penthouse; the floor plans themselves are anywhere from 8,200 sq ft. And obviously, just like a cake, it's smaller as you go up,” explained Penny MacIntyre, a partner at Rego Sotheby’s.

Mr Howe said Brookfield was in talks with several potential tenants, with plans for a mix of local and international businesses, including food and beverage retailers on the ground floor. The goal is to have five tenants in all, he said, with Brookfield occupying the lower three floors.

“We’re trying to create a little bit of a corporate clubhouse feel, so each tenant has their space that feels part of the bigger mix,” Mr Howe said.

Sustainability is a key focus for the project, he said. “Leed Platinum, for this type of office calibre building, was a great statement for us to make,” Mr Howe noted.

“There were definitely things we did here to this building, as far as energy efficiency retrofits that we may not have otherwise done if we weren’t pursuing this standard, but we think it will ultimately accrue to the benefit of the tenants that are here and Bermuda as a whole.”

While the company has stressed the potential for local job creation, Mr Howe said the project was also about reinvigorating a stretch of Front Street that had been less active in recent years.

“We’re here as a business, to run a business and do what we do. That said, we came in here and we’re revitalising a stretch of Front Street that prior to the opening of this building has been not as vibrant as we think it will be after we open, especially with the retail we’re putting down here and the activation and foot traffic we’re going to bring to this corridor.”

The development has also benefited from close collaboration with local authorities.

Mr Howe explained: “The Corporation of Hamilton has been a great partner for us in this redevelopment and I think that’s because they also similarly want to see a refresh and new life brought to some of those buildings that are otherwise not as vibrant.”