Local firms moving into Hamilton?s newest office building cite internal growth as the primary reason for seeking new space at Thistle House, built on the site of the former Imperial Hotel.

The five-storey building is owned by Jardine Gibbons Properties, a company that in turn is jointly owned by majority shareholder Edmund Gibbons Ltd. (part of the Gibbons Group of Companies) and Jardine Matheson Group.

Anchor tenant, law firm Mello Jones and Martin, has moved into the top three floors of the building while First Atlantic Commerce shares the second floor with Harbour Trust. Expertise, which is the parent company of Accounting Solutions, BermudaJOBS, HR Associates, and Prot?g?, is moving into the ground floor of the building tomorrow.

While it had to move from its former premises in Reid House at 31 Church Street because of redevelopment plans for that building, partner Alan Dunch said growth was also a factor for Mello Jones and Martin.

The firm has increased to some 65 people in the last few years due mostly to an increased focus on its corporate practice. As a result of that growth, the firm was seeking a more purpose-built premises which could be tailored to its image. With its move to Thistle House, it also gained 20 percent more space.

At Expertise, the Island?s largest employment services firm, said its roster has been steadily growing due to the Island?s international business boom.

The company, which is literally moving across the street from its current home in the Russell Eve Building at 21 Church Street, has doubled its roster over the last 18 months from 15 to 31 professionals. Four more hires are planned in the next few months.

Belinda Chiaramonte, partner of Expertise Limited Recruiters, said demand for services from the Island?s growing intentional business sector is the main reason behind Expertise?s rapid growth. While many clients are searching for new employees, there has also been a real trend for clients to outsource their entire human resources function to the firm.

Expertise will take over the ground floor of Thistle House building while First Atlantic Commerce Ltd., a Gibbons? company established in 1998 to create secure card based payment solutions for e-businesses, will share the second floor.

??The move to Thistle House marks the continued progression of our growth in the global eCommerce market sector and the need to accommodate additional business development and operations staff to support our expanding portfolio of international business,? said Andrea Wilson, CEO of FAC.