Ashford Construction has topped out the Marco Island development in the heart of Nottingham.

The inspiration for the project came about due to the site's unique shape and location, as an island and is modelled on the cruise liner The World of Residensea an exclusive residential Club Community maintaining a continuous circumnavigation of the world.

However, unlike its floating counterpart, Marco Island will remain firmly in dry dock.

Construction commenced in April 2004 and has incorporated major structural engineering works in order to strengthen the existing building, a former Royal Mail Sorting Centre, to allow for the addition of ten new floors of residential accommodation, the incorporation of a mezzanine floor to create two new levels of decked car parking at first floor level, and the provision of new service cores.

In total more than 1200 tonnes of new steelwork has been incorporated into the building.

The project has been developed in conjunction with Marco Development Limited with the object of providing a concept of luxurious living and a feeling of space at reasonable cost, within the heart of Nottingham city centre.

Structural Engineering design has been undertaken by HSP Consulting of Nottingham, ably supported by Nottingham based Architects, Franklin Ellis.

The finished £ 17.4m development will provide 337 apartments, car parking and future provision for retail, restaurant and leisure related facilities with completion due in November 2005.